NYT Dictionary

WANK

/ˈwæŋk/
VerbNounWANKwank · 1 syllableCollege

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

To masturbate.

Etymology

Origin: Dutch

Origin unknown. First known use as a verb is 1905, as a noun 1948. Perhaps compare regional slang term wang, whang (“to whack or beat”). Compare Dutch wanken (“to move back and forth; move with the hands”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

abusebash one outbatebeat itbeat offcrank one outfapfriggoonjack off

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026.

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