Chunky Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms chunky American [chuhng-kee] / ˈtʃʌŋ ki /

adjective

chunkier, chunkiest

1. thick or stout; stocky.

2. in chunks. chunk.

3. full of chunks; chunk; coarse.

   chunky peanut butter; The soup was so chunky it was almost a stew.

chunky British / ˈtʃʌŋkɪ /

adjective

1. thick and short

2. consisting of or containing thick pieces

   chunky dog food

3. (of clothes, esp knitwear) made of thick bulky material

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• chunkily adverb
• chunkiness noun

Etymology

Origin of chunky

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; chunk 1 + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For dinner, I went old school at À La Renaissance, a century-old, recently revived bistro with chunky terrazzo floors and burgundy banquettes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“In the winter you can say you’re traveling and nobody really knows where you are. And then you just throw on a scarf and chunky sweater.”

From The Wall Street Journal

If I could knit to music like this, I think my patterns would be funky and chunky and full of life.

From Literature

“Technically,” the older girl said, “coal is chunky. Not fine.”

From Literature

“In the U.S., they grind it so fine. It was more chunky.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chubby
• stocky
• stout

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.