choppy

1 of 2

adjective (1)

chop·​py ˈchä-pē 

choppier; choppiest

1

: being roughened : chapped

2

: rough with small waves

3

a

: interrupted by ups and downs

choppy terrain

a choppy career

b

: jerky

short choppy strides

c

: disconnected

choppy writing

choppily

ˈchä-pə-lē 

adverb

choppy

2 of 2

adjective (2)

choppier; choppiest

: changeable, variable

a choppy wind

Synonyms of choppy

Adjective (1)

• sporadic
• occasional
• intermittent
• sudden
• erratic

Examples of choppy in a Sentence

Adjective (1)

a sharp, choppy wind coming off the lake

the old cable car provides a picturesque but choppy ride to the mountain's peak

the plot was intriguing, but the author's style was so choppy that I finally gave up in frustration

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But the first half was a choppy affair because of all the fouls being called. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

With its choppy layers and subtle movement, the cut felt modern, refined, and perfectly in step with her evolving personal style. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026

Syncing the audio to the video drops that to 25 frames per second, which makes playback noticeably choppier. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 28 Oct. 2026

In a choppy video, the man appears to accuse the former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, now seen as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest challenger, of planning to govern with Hamas supporters or of being unwilling to destroy Hamas. — Nadav Eyal, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

chop entry 2

Adjective (2)

chop entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for choppy

• copy
• floppy
• poppy
• sloppy
• atopy
• photocopy

Kids Definition

choppy

1 of 2 adjective

chop·​py ˈchäp-ē 

choppier; choppiest

: changeable sense 1, variable

choppy wind

choppy

2 of 2 adjective

choppier; choppiest

1

: rough with small waves

the lake was choppy

2

: marked by sudden stops and starts : not connected smoothly

short choppy sentences

choppiness noun