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View synonyms for

wonk

[ wongk ]

noun

Slang.
  1. a student who spends much time studying and has little or no social life; grind.
  2. a stupid, boring, or unattractive person.
  3. a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner:

    They’re searching for a policy wonk to lead the economic institute’s think tank.



wonk

/ ɒŋ /

noun

  1. informal.
    a person who is obsessively interested in a specified subject

    a foreign policy wonk

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ɴDz԰· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk1

An Americanism first recorded in 1960–65; of expressive origin; nautical slang wonk “a midshipman,” and Australian slang “white person; gay man” are probably independent formations
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk1

C20: of uncertain origin
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Facts are great when you’re a lawyer in court or when you’re a wonk writing policy briefs and refining legislative language.

From

Are they academics, scholars and scientists, or do they also include those of less elevated standing — technocrats, policy wonks, apparatchiks, pundits, journalists — who command a sizable public audience?

From

“Am I a policy wonk? No, but I do approach this from a very business-minded, fiscally conservative perspective.”

From

The media will, no doubt, lean into Walz’s experience as a football coach — in 1999 he helped Mankato West win a state championship and political wonks love a good sports metaphor.

From

It sounds like the makings of theater for wonks, doesn’t it?

From

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ŏwonkish