English · Slang Attested

jank

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Perceptible pause in the smooth rendering of a software application's user interface due to slow operations or poor interface design.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

This also marks the first time I haven’t felt that Samsung jank on the phone, which deserves its own paragraph in its own right. That weird stuttering and pausing you’ve seen on so many Samsung phones seems to be almost completely gone on the Note 3 […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Game mechanics of unconventional or flawed design or implementation, and the experience of such mechanics, as to ruin or disrupt play, or break immersion; e.g. bugs and glitches.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A game, or games, with such mechanics.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “jank” mean?

Perceptible pause in the smooth rendering of a software application's user interface due to slow operations or poor interface design.

Is “jank” formal or informal?

jank is generally slang.