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 YouTube stuff, by comparison, feels sloppy, in multiple senses of the word. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

The company built a team largely made up of former journalists and social media experts who have an eye for recognizing generic, sloppy content. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

The Hawks entered the night riding their first back-to-back wins of the season, but defensive-zone struggles, sloppy puck handling and giveaways dropped them to 2-2-0 on their seven-game homestand. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

In a rarity, Sega has pulled a PC game from sales after the title received backlash for apparently using AI, but to sloppy effect. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 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