jankier; jankiest
informal
: of very poor quality : junky
… most of the vehicles on Bismuth were janky unregistered pick-ups that reeked of fish water.—
Corwin Ericson
Corwin Ericson
also
: not functioning properly or adequately : faulty
Hahn was incredibly down-to-earth in her normal-looking home with her somewhat janky Wi-Fi. —Chris Murphy
Chris Murphy "My family had medical debt, because we live in the jankiest medical system in the developed world." —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Examples of janky in a Sentence
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Cheap, kind of, and janky, sure, but these undeniably addictive shorts — bite-sized episodes that are meant for mobile, vertical viewing — have become a veritable lifeline for actors, writers, producers and directors who are desperate to break into an ever-exclusive industry.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Her janky vision only shows her half a headstone.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Even a ride in a janky hatchback is priced as full-service luxury.
—John Hodgman, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
The twist cap feels more secure than the original’s janky push-button lid, and the dual-slip design is chef’s kiss.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025
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Lynette Rice, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Her janky vision only shows her half a headstone.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Even a ride in a janky hatchback is priced as full-service luxury.
—John Hodgman, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
The twist cap feels more secure than the original’s janky push-button lid, and the dual-slip design is chef’s kiss.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for janky
Cite this Entry
“Janky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/janky. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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