: a person preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field
broadly : nerd
a policy wonk
a computer wonk
wonkery noun
wonkish
ˈwäŋ-kish How to pronounce wonk (audio)
ˈwȯŋ-
adjective
wonkishness noun

Examples of wonk in a Sentence

the policy wonks in the government the candidate has an army of policy wonks ready to write for him a position paper on virtually any issue
Recent Examples on the Web More surprising is the finding that in-house legal departments, famous for being the most risk-averse wonks within an organization, are big on AI. Byjohn Kell, Fortune, 3 July 2024 In Washington, some wonks have worried that the United States’ extensive backing of Ukraine’s war effort has hamstrung its ability to bolster Taiwan’s defense. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 1 July 2024 If and when that happens, following review by budget wonks and then the public, the feds will finally recognize cannabis’ medical uses. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 May 2024 This is far from an esoteric or niche issue for policy wonks as every taxpayer and state worker is affected. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wonk 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wonk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wonk was in 1954

Dictionary Entries Near wonk

Cite this Entry

“Wonk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonk. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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