hokey

adjective

hok·​ey ˈhō-kē How to pronounce hokey (audio)
hokier; hokiest
1
: corny entry 1 sense 1
the usual hokey melodrama
2
: obviously contrived : phony
the plots are tricky but not hokeyCleveland Amory
hokeyness noun
or hokiness
hokily adverb

Examples of hokey in a Sentence

She gave us some hokey excuse for being late. their father's sense of humor was hokey beyond belief and most people's endurance
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The delightful sets, ridiculous scenarios, and hokey alien encounters would’ve been enough to thrill any Trekker, but the performances bring the tribute to the next level. Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025 The Six Triple Eight, however, is 128 minutes of hokey dialogue, two-dimensional characterizations, and Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt wearing false teeth straight out of a Party City going-out-of-business sale. Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025 After the hokey show last year, the Academy this time at least tries to capture the Zen of the movie year. Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025 To gain her confidence, Arabella pretends to be Jewish (a hokey contrivance that Shakespeare would have approved of), and Indji shares the story of her banishment. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hokey

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hokey was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Hokey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hokey. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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