🚔 A small jail 📦 Small and cramped 🐢 Slow or sluggish

pokey

1 7.9

A place that is small and cramped and often far from the city and not important

adjective
/ˈpoʊki/

Informal

: pequeño

Living in that pokey room felt suffocating, especially with all my belongings crammed in.
pokey little

Examples

And you'll stay sane in that pokey old mansion.

I Capture the Castle (2003)
The restaurant was located in a pokey corner of the shopping mall, making it hard for customers to find.
In this pokey little flat, practically next to a motorway.

Little Sister (1992)
Mrs. Huffner tells us the story about the pokey little puppy.

Snow Day (2000)
After moving to the city, I had to settle for a pokey apartment with no space for my furniture.

Synonyms

cramped

vspokey

37 3.2

A space that is too small for people to move easily

also applies to places small in size and lacking importance

piddly

vspokey

Informal

4 7.9

A very small amount or unimportant detail

applies to small places or tight spaces, not merely small amounts

one-horse

vspokey

Informal

2 8.3

Small and not important, often far from larger towns

emphasizes physical smallness and tight space rather than only unsophistication

poky

vspokey

Informal

1 8.5

A small, boring place with little interest

is the common modern spelling rather than the variant

podunk

vspokey

Informal

9.6

A place that is small and not important, like a quiet country town

is a neutral term that also highlights small or insignificant places

jerkwater

vspokey

Informal

9.9

A small unimportant place far from big cities

stresses physical smallness or tightness rather than only remoteness

dingly

vspokey

9.2

Small and a little worn but with a cozy charm

focuses on lack of importance or small size rather than quaint appearance

Antonyms

significant

∞ 2.5

Important and big enough to make a difference

spacious

45 2.5

A large open room or area with plenty of space

How Small

tiny

∞ 1.0

cramped

37 3.2

pokey

Informal

1 7.9

compact

60 4.1

small

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

pokey positive

pokier comparative

pokiest superlative

Etymology

Pokey meaning 'small' or 'cramped' comes from the idea of poke 'bag' (as in pocket), so imagine a place like a tight bag — that's why a pokey room feels tiny and unimportant.