Gonzo
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Gonzo journalism or a journalist who produces such journalism. countable, uncountable
"“Unstable” indeed! Those swine: Next year we should demand a gonzo category – or maybe R S should give it. Of course: “The first annual Rolling Stone award for the year's finest example of pure gonzo journalism.”"
- 2 A wild or crazy person. countable
- 1 Using an unconventional, exaggerated, and highly subjective style, often when the reporter takes part in the events of the story.
"I ask Hunter to explain ... Just what is Gonzo Journalism? ... “Gonzo all started with Bill Cardosa ^([sic]), ... after I wrote the Kentucky Derby piece for Scanlan's ... the first time I realized you could write different. And ... I got this note from Cardosa saying, ‘That was pure gonzo journalism!’ ... Some Boston word for weird, bizarre.”"
- 2 Unconventional, bizarre, crazy.
"Nicholson’s Torrance is an evil clown ... Appropriately, pop culture has embraced him as a gonzo antihero: Ads for T-shirts emblazoned with the “Here’s Johnny” Nicholson"
- 1 conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual wordnet
Example
More examples"I ask Hunter to explain ... Just what is Gonzo Journalism? ... “Gonzo all started with Bill Cardosa ^([sic]), ... after I wrote the Kentucky Derby piece for Scanlan's ... the first time I realized you could write different. And ... I got this note from Cardosa saying, ‘That was pure gonzo journalism!’ ... Some Boston word for weird, bizarre.”"
Etymology
Coined in 1971 by Boston Globe editor Bill Cardoso. Of uncertain origin; OED proposes Italian gonzo (“dolt”) and / or Spanish ganso (“dolt, goose”). The etymology supplied by Cardoso himself (French gonzeaux) is spurious.
Related phrases
More for "gonzo"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.