funkier; funkiest
1
US
: having an offensive odor : foul
a funky smell
2
music
: having the style and feeling of older African American music (such as blues or gospel) or of funk
especially
: characterized by rhythmic elements similar to those of funk
a funky beat
3
informal
a
: odd or quaint in appearance or feeling
a funky little restaurant
b
: unconventionally stylish : hip
funky clothes
… lighting gives the … shops and streets a funky prettiness …—
Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael
funkily
adverb
funkiness
noun
: being in a funk : panicky
Examples of funky in a Sentence
Adjective (2)
a funky antique shop that reflects the owner's decidedly eccentric taste
a funky pair of old socks lying on the locker room floor
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam Reed, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
So when Freeman talks about Boise State giving Notre Dame a funky look on that first drive, and that’s why the play didn’t work … uh … when has the play worked?
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Previous highlights include a crazy drum kit input device, a funky magic hand, a row of letters in one long bar, and an infinite twisty keyboard based on the Möbius strip.
—New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
While more necessary for households with children or pets, a deodorizer is nice to have on hand if your rug starts smelling a little funky.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for funky
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Adjective
This isn’t so much a category as a catchall for any other pair of funky pants that don’t quite fit the above parameters.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
So when Freeman talks about Boise State giving Notre Dame a funky look on that first drive, and that’s why the play didn’t work … uh … when has the play worked?
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Previous highlights include a crazy drum kit input device, a funky magic hand, a row of letters in one long bar, and an infinite twisty keyboard based on the Möbius strip.
—New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
While more necessary for households with children or pets, a deodorizer is nice to have on hand if your rug starts smelling a little funky.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for funky
Cite this Entry
“Funky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funky. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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