sloppy

adjective

slop·​py ˈslä-pē 

sloppier; sloppiest

1

a

: wet so as to spatter easily : slushy

a sloppy racetrack

b

: wet or smeared with or as if with something slopped over

2

: slovenly, careless

a sloppy dresser

did sloppy work

3

: disagreeably effusive

sloppy sentimentalism

sloppily

ˈslä-pə-lē 

adverb

sloppiness noun

Synonyms of sloppy

• messy
• slovenly
• wrinkled
• shaggy
• untidy
• unkempt
• filthy
• dowdy
• chaotic

Examples of sloppy in a Sentence

Your work has been very sloppy lately.

a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes

Recent Examples on the Web

The offense capitalized on the mistakes by a sloppy San Francisco defense. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026

This team is inconsistent, sloppy and soft. —Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026

Just six of those came in the second half and the Bruins took better care of the ball while running their offense more efficiently, but sloppy play and frustration have flared up despite the Bruins’ veteran leadership. —Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026

Although September’s attack had an even wider reach, the threat was quickly contained, with some experts remarking that the hacker appeared sloppy. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sloppy

• sloppy joe

Rhymes for sloppy

• choppy
• copy
• floppy
• poppy
• atopy
• photocopy

Kids Definition

sloppy

adjective

slop·​py ˈsläp-ē 

sloppier; sloppiest

1

a

: wet so as to spatter easily : slushy

b

: wet with or as if with something slopped over

2

: slovenly, careless

a sloppy dresser

3

: overly sentimental

sloppily

ˈsläp-ə-lē 

adverb

sloppiness

ˈsläp-ē-nəs

noun