wonky

¹

[ wong-kee ]

adjective

, Slang.

, won·ki·er, won·ki·est.

1. (of a person) shaky, groggy, or unsteady.
2. not exactly straight or balanced; off-kilter:

   a wonky chair with an uneven leg.

3. not working properly; faulty; unreliable:

   Something went wonky with my computer.

4. crazy; mad:

   That's just odd logic and wonky reasoning.

wonky

²

[ wong-kee ]

adjective

, Slang.

, won·ki·er, won·ki·est.

1. stupid; boring; unattractive.
2. relating to, appealing to, or characteristic of a wonk; concerned with minute details of a topic or issue:

   a wonky bureaucrat.

wonky

/ ˈwɒŋkɪ /

adjective

1. shaky or unsteady
2. not in correct alignment; askew
3. liable to break down or develop a fault

Other Words From

• won·ki·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonky¹

First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps variant of dialectal wanky, equivalent to wank(le) ( Middle English wankel, Old English wancol; wench ) + -y ¹

Origin of wonky²

First recorded in 1975–80; wonk ( def ) + -y ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonky¹

C20: variant of dialect wanky, from Old English wancol

Example Sentences

While the Los Angeles County charter changes didn’t get as much attention as other high-profile measures on the ballot, make no mistake: This wonky governance reform package may be the most transformative decision county voters have made in decades.

From Los Angeles Times

Why: Polls have been wonky for several cycles.

From Slate

“What if things get wonky?” the cocksure 30-year-old asked.

From Los Angeles Times

“If things get wonky,” Friedman relented, “sure.”

From Los Angeles Times

“This is the definition of wonky.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• rickety
• unstable
• unsteady
• wobbly