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Synonyms

punky

1 American  
[puhng-kee] / ˈpʌŋ ki /

adjective

punkier, punkiest

  1. of, like, or pertaining to spongy punk.

  2. burning very slowly, as a fire.

punky 2 American  
[puhng-kee] / ˈpʌŋ ki /

adjective

punkier, punkiest

  1. Slang. of or like punks or hoodlums.

  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of punk rock, its performers, or its devotees.

Other Word Forms

  • punkiness noun

Etymology

Origin of punky1

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; punk 2 + -y 1

Origin of punky2

punk 1 + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the opening song, “Luz de Luna,” he gushes about not wanting to miss someone over a heartfelt piano ballad that slips between punky guitar rifts and unpredictable 808 drums.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

On stage, the singer is normally a fireball of intensity, screaming punky anthems like Yuk Foo and commanding the spotlight with magnetic charisma.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2025

“Angular, punky, buncha noise stuff,” affirms Menashe, who also played with acclaimed Bloomington-to-L.A. band Triptides starting in 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2025

And the untamed, punky energy of People was the only number where the band were really allowed to cut loose.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025

There’s a group at Columbia that meets Sunday afternoons to jam on this punky fake jazz everyone’s into.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.