sloppy

1 of 2

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

sloppiness

2 of 2

noun

slop·​pi·​ness

-pēnə̇s, 

-pin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being sloppy

Synonyms of sloppy

Adjective

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

Examples of sloppy in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

That’s what longevity bought you, the kind of access to a person no amount of passion can bypass, and lately Sapphire had gotten sloppy. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026

Towel Bars Towel bars can easily look sloppy once a few towels have been haphazardly hung on them. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 20 June 2026

But a sloppy backpass and slow reaction from goalkeeper Jalal Hassan gifted Haaland his second goal and restored Norway’s lead before half-time, and confidence was depleted with Norway’s third and fourth goals. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 20 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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