wonky
Not quite right
Wonky means slightly off, unstable, or not quite right.
A wonky table wobbles; a wonky argument doesn't hold together.
In British usage especially, something wonky is crooked or askew: The picture frame looks wonky.
In American political slang, wonky describes someone deeply immersed in policy details—from "policy wonk": She gave a wonky answer about tax reform.
Tilted from true
- lopsidedUnequally balanced
- tiltedAngled from vertical
- slantedAngled from vertical
- skewedAsymmetrically shifted
off-kilter · crooked · awry · misaligned · uneven · canted · aslant · leaning
Prone to malfunctions
- buggyHorse-drawn cart
- faultyHaving defects or errors
- unreliableNot consistently performing
- temperamentalEasily upset, unpredictable
finicky · broken · defective · erratic · haywire · dodgy · iffy · patchy
Tending to teeter
- shakyTrembling or unstable
- unsteadyLacking balance or stability
- ricketyUnsteady, liable to collapse
- teeteringUnstably balanced, nearly falling
tottering · precarious · rocky · insecure · faltering · trembling · quivering · lurching
Unconventional in character
- offbeatPleasantly strange or unusual
- oddUnusual or not even
- peculiarStrangely unusual
- unconventionalDeparting from standard practice
idiosyncratic · kooky · zany · weird · strange · unusual · bizarre · outlandish
Adopted principle of action
- academicRelating to education or theory
- nerdyUnfashionably intellectual
- detailedFull of specifics
- specializedAdapted for particular function
esoteric · insider · expert · bureaucratic · analytical · abstruse · arcane · niche
askew
Tilted from true
skewed · off-kilter · crooked · awry · misaligned · uneven · canted · aslant · leaning · angled
glitchy
Prone to malfunctions
- buggyHorse-drawn cart
- faultyHaving defects or errors
- unreliableNot consistently performing
temperamental · finicky · broken · defective · erratic · haywire · dodgy · iffy · patchy · spotty
wobbly
Tending to teeter
teetering · tottering · precarious · rocky · insecure · faltering · trembling · quivering · lurching · swaying
eccentric
Unconventional in character
unconventional · idiosyncratic · kooky · zany · weird · strange · unusual · bizarre · outlandish · whimsical
policy
Adopted principle of action
specialized · esoteric · insider · expert · bureaucratic · analytical · abstruse · arcane · niche · geeky
- crookedcrooked, askew, awry, lopsided, off-center
- malfunctionsbroken, defective, glitch, faulty, error
- slang adjectivescool, awesome, dope, lit, sick
- electronic musictechno, house, synthesizer, drum machine, EDM
- misalignmentmisaligned, misalignment, off-center, displaced, crooked
- brokenbroken, busted, broken down, out of order, not working
wonkyreliable
Consistently performing as expected
functional · working · sound · dependable · operational