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

Early in the second half, Ipswich had a great chance to counter in a four-vs-four scenario, but Exequiel Palacios’ pass was sloppy and got easily cut out by Alexis Mac Allister. — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Tung’s government was accused of a sloppy, sluggish response. — Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

This Quince denim shirt is oversized, giving the same slouchy-not-sloppy vibe of the actress’. — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026

With Baggy Jeans Sometimes a baggy jean can veer into sloppy territory, but adding some Mary Janes gives a boost of elegance. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 5 Sep. 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