as in nerds
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
the candidate has an army of policy wonks ready to write for him a position paper on virtually any issue
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wonks
Some may not be obvious to the casual observer, or even to savvy energy wonks.
—
Alexandra Klass,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Elon Musk, Elizabeth Warren and lots of policy wonks have suggestions to help workers hit by automation.
—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
2 June 2026
In the hours after splashdown, space wonks noticed a large, unusual-looking white patch on the otherwise dark and scorched heat shield.
—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
This isn't a command-line interface just for hardcore wonks, either.
—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Policy wonks and software engineers were turned away at the door of the conservative tech think tank Foundation for American Innovation’s reception on Monday evening, held at MAGA hot spot Butterworth’s.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Policy wonks are often the main turnouts when the Federal Reserve seeks public comment on a new rule for banks.
—
Tom Schoenberg,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
Rafters, ranchers, anglers, hydrologists, energy wonks, and government officials have coordinated in the past to keep water in the river.
—
Pete McBride,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere in the world, perhaps such a technical-sounding government decision would fall to the domain of data wonks and financial consultants.
—
Isabel Debre,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Klass,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Elon Musk, Elizabeth Warren and lots of policy wonks have suggestions to help workers hit by automation.
—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
2 June 2026
In the hours after splashdown, space wonks noticed a large, unusual-looking white patch on the otherwise dark and scorched heat shield.
—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
This isn't a command-line interface just for hardcore wonks, either.
—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Policy wonks and software engineers were turned away at the door of the conservative tech think tank Foundation for American Innovation’s reception on Monday evening, held at MAGA hot spot Butterworth’s.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Policy wonks are often the main turnouts when the Federal Reserve seeks public comment on a new rule for banks.
—
Tom Schoenberg,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
Rafters, ranchers, anglers, hydrologists, energy wonks, and government officials have coordinated in the past to keep water in the river.
—
Pete McBride,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere in the world, perhaps such a technical-sounding government decision would fall to the domain of data wonks and financial consultants.
—
Isabel Debre,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wonks
Noun
-
Brimfield is chaotic, yes, but there’s something to be said about an event that brings such obscure enthusiasm from every kind of character—from Brooklynites in search of single-stitch T-shirts to music nerds who specialize in vintage harmonicas.
-
The jerseys were being bought by people who weren’t just soccer nerds or fans looking for deep cuts.
Noun
-
The weekend-afternoon sales events became a phenomenon, drawing crowds to marvel at his wide-ranging tastes — not just hardcore music geeks or bibliophiles, but appreciators of New York cultural lore.
-
Heaven to the geeks and superfans in the balcony.
Cite this Entry
“Wonks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wonks. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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