jerky

1 of 2

adjective

jerkier; jerkiest
Synonyms of jerkynext
1
a
: moving along with or marked by fits and starts
b
: characterized by abrupt transitions
2
jerkily adverb
jerkiness noun

jerky

2 of 2

noun

jer·​ky ˈjər-kē How to pronounce jerky (audio)
: jerked meat

Examples of jerky in a Sentence

Adjective The movie was jerky and hard to watch. made jerky progress walking with the new crutches
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Four figures, two men and two women, walk around a yard with quick, jerky steps. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 20 Dec. 2025 Instead, think about it more like a slow dance—no jerky movements, no wrapping the fabric around your hand, no scrubbing. Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025
Noun
Who could ever have enough beef jerky, roasted nuts and wall art of Highland cows? Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 13 Jan. 2026 Four figures, two men and two women, walk around a yard with quick, jerky steps. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 20 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jerky

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

jerk entry 2 + -y entry 1

Noun

borrowed from American Spanish charqui (borrowed from southern Peruvian Quechua ch'arki), conformed to jerk entry 4 and earlier jerked

First Known Use

Adjective

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jerky was in 1670

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jerky. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

jerky

1 of 2 noun
jer·​ky
ˈjər-kē
: jerked meat

jerky

2 of 2 adjective
ˈjər-kē
jerkier; jerkiest
1
: marked by jerks
a jerky ride on a dirt road
2
jerkily
-kə-lē
adverb
jerkiness
-kē-nəs
noun
Etymology

Noun

from Spanish charqui "jerky," from Quechua ch'arki

Adjective

jerk (noun) and -y (adjective suffix)

More from Merriam-Webster on jerky

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