Meaning & use
wonky
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Leaning, crooked or uneven, not sitting straight or level as it should.
Grammar: Can follow a linking verb or come before a noun: the shelf looks wonky, a wonky shelf.
Patterns
- look wonky
- a wonky something
The picture frame looked wonky, so she nudged it until it hung level.
He drew a wonky line across the page because the ruler kept slipping.
One leg of the table is shorter, which makes it wonky on the tiled floor.
adjectivecomparable
Not working properly or reliably, or slightly faulty, without being completely broken.
Grammar: Describes machines or systems that behave oddly: a wonky connection.
Patterns
- go wonky
- a wonky something
My laptop keyboard has gone wonky and sometimes types the wrong letters.
The wifi is a bit wonky today, so the video keeps freezing.
A wonky sat-nav sent us down a road that did not exist.
adjectivecomparable
Feeling shaky, weak or unsteady in the body.
Grammar: Often used for legs, knees or a person after illness: my knees felt wonky.
Patterns
- feel wonky
After the long flight my legs felt wonky for a few minutes.
Grandpa says his knees are wonky on the stairs these days.
I stood up too fast and felt suddenly wonky.
Word forms
| comparative | wonkier |
|---|---|
| superlative | wonkiest |
Common combinations
- look wonky
- The hem of the skirt looks wonky on one side.
- a bit wonky
- The first batch of cupcakes came out a bit wonky.
- wonky wheel
- The trolley has a wonky wheel that squeaks.
- go wonky
- The settings went wonky after the update.
- wonky smile
- The child gave a wonky smile with two teeth missing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crooked
- Crooked is the plain, neutral word for bent or off-line, while wonky sounds more casual and often a little affectionate.
- lopsided
- Lopsided stresses that one side is higher or heavier than the other, whereas wonky can mean any kind of unevenness or faultiness.
- shaky
- Shaky fits unstable or trembling things, but wonky is more likely for something that is merely out of line or glitchy.
- dodgy
- Dodgy suggests something unreliable or suspicious, while wonky just means slightly off or faulty without any hint of dishonesty.
Opposites
Word family
- wonkily adverb
- in an uneven or unsteady way
- wonkiness noun
- the state of being crooked or faulty
Commonly confused: wonky or wonk?
wonky vs wonk
A wonk is a person obsessed with policy detail; it is not the root of the adjective wonky in everyday use, which just means crooked or faulty.
Practice
The bookcase was ___ because the floor under it was uneven.
Choose one answer.
Wonky means crooked or unlevel, which fits an uneven floor. Sturdy is the opposite of what the sentence needs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wonky”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.