Antonyms for hunky-dory

Grammar : Adj, adv

Spell : huhng-kee-dawr-ee, -dohr-ee

Phonetic Transcription : ˈhʌŋ kiˈdɔr i, -ˈdoʊr i

Definition of hunky-dory

Origin : 1866, American English (popularized c.1870 by a Christy Minstrel song), perhaps a reduplication of hunkey "all right, satisfactory" (1861), from hunk "in a safe position" (1847) New York City slang, from Dutch honk "goal, home," from Middle Dutch honc "place of refuge, hiding place." A theory from 1876, however, traces it to Honcho dori, said to be a street in Yokohama, Japan, where sailors went for diversions of the sort sailors enjoy.

As in acceptable : adj satisfactory, agreeable
As in goodish : adj acceptable
As in OK : adj acceptable
As in unobjectionable : adj acceptable
As in cool : adj excellent
As in dandy : adj fine, excellent
As in agreeable : adj pleasing
As in all right : adj satisfactory
As in all-right : adv satisfactorily

Example sentences :

We kin fix that all hunky-dory, an' Johnson, he won't neveh know.
Extract from : « Old Man Curry » by Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan

Said to go to bed and get a good sleep and I'd be all hunky-dory in the morning.
Extract from : « The Night-Born » by Jack London

But you seem to be feeling all hunky-dory again, and why don't you come join us in the Good Citizens' League, old man?
Extract from : « Babbitt » by Sinclair Lewis

Without leaving the boat, fishing arm-deep into the brush, he announced, "All hunky-dory."
Extract from : « Dutch Courage and Other Stories » by Jack London

You're all right, and the spot is hunky-dory, and it's the durned old boat hez made the mistake, begosh!
Extract from : « The Jimmyjohn Boss and Other Stories » by Owen Wister

Synonyms for hunky-dory

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019