wonk

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"She was the policy wonk, a community activist who had won hard-fought elections for city council and controller and who had been a city official for a dozen years and who, by the way, happened to be gay."

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Definitions (3)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Slang A student who studies excessively; a grind.
  2. noun Slang One who studies an issue or a topic thoroughly or excessively: "leading a talkathon of policy wonks in a methodical effort to build consensus for his programs” (Michael Kranish).

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Examples

  • "She was the policy wonk, a community activist who had won hard-fought elections for city council and controller and who had been a city official for a dozen years and who, by the way, happened to be gay." —  CNN Transcript Dec 14, 2009
  • In a nutshell: A yahoo invades your life with the intentional desire to annoy you, and a wonk is a stupid sort who annoys you without realizing it. —  The Vail Trail - All Sections
  • What typifies the wonk is their utter unawareness of the world and people around them. —  The Vail Trail - All Sections
  • If he goes at her being a policy wonk, acts like he is back in the classroom I think he is able to counter the notion of you got specifics, I got specifics, let's do battle. —  CNN Transcript Feb 6, 2008
  • SNOW: They call it honky tonk meets the White House wonk -- he's the wonk. —  CNN Transcript May 16, 2007
 

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Wonk has been looked up 252 times, favorited 0 times, listed 20 times, and commented on 3 times.

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