ˈwäŋ-kē 
ˈwȯŋ-
wonkier; wonkiest
US
: characteristic of, relating to, or suggestive of a wonk: such as
a
: preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field
She can get wonky about the economy when she wants to, but what sets her apart is her ability to tell a coherent, populist story about it in a way that other members of her party are either unwilling or unable to do.—
Rebecca Traister
Rebecca Traister
b
: used by or appealing to wonks
… one of those politicians who actually find pleasure in the often-wonky details of public policy.—John Powers
John Powers
wonkiness
noun
won·ky
ˈwäŋ-kē
wonkier; wonkiest
Examples of wonky in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 June 2025
While gold is historically considered a haven, demand for havens has spilled over into its wonky cousins like silver and platinum.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
The wonky yet critical fight has bubbled up over the past week as investors pored over the House bill in anticipation of potential Senate amendments.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
If that sounds mathematically wonky, here’s the explanation.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wonky
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Adjective
Stephanie White’s group has run into some wonky luck besides those absences.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 June 2025
While gold is historically considered a haven, demand for havens has spilled over into its wonky cousins like silver and platinum.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
The wonky yet critical fight has bubbled up over the past week as investors pored over the House bill in anticipation of potential Senate amendments.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
If that sounds mathematically wonky, here’s the explanation.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wonky
Cite this Entry
“Wonky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonky. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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