SKIP TO CONTENT

wacky

/ˈwæki/
/ˈwæki/
IPA guide

Other forms: wackiest; wackier

Something that's wacky is weird or nutty or silly. Your goofy uncle who wears a funny hat and does magic tricks at the dinner table is wacky.

Use the adjective wacky when you're talking about someone with a ridiculous sense of humor. Clowns are, by definition, wacky, for example. Most people have at least one wacky relative, and some are lucky enough to have entire wacky families. Wacky comes from the nineteenth century British slang term whacky, which arose from whack, specifically the idea of getting whacked on the head so hard that it turns you wacky.

Definitions of wacky
  1. adjective
    ludicrous, foolish
    “some wacky plan for selling more books”
    foolish
    devoid of good sense or judgment
  2. adjective
    informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
    insane
    afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement
Pronunciation
US
/ˈwæki/
UK
/ˈwæki/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘wacky'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family