1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a sharp, choppy wind coming off the lake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
the old cable car provides a picturesque but choppy ride to the mountain's peak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confusing
not clearly or logically connected
the plot was intriguing, but the author's style was so choppy that I finally gave up in frustration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of choppy
The Shag Originated in the late 1960s and popularized in the 1970s, the shag cut is comprised of short, choppy layers around the face, muting the body of hair on the sides.
—
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025
Right now, the markets appear to be treating the volatility as a healthy correction rather than a trend reversal, but many are bracing for choppier waters.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Former Beach Boys member Al Jardine navigated emotionally choppy waters in a new interview, as the musician called out singer Mike Love over the latter's speech at the funeral of late musician and band co-founder Brian Wilson.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
The action is at at best competent but uninspired, and at worst (such as a sword fight toward the end) choppy and nauseating.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025
Right now, the markets appear to be treating the volatility as a healthy correction rather than a trend reversal, but many are bracing for choppier waters.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Former Beach Boys member Al Jardine navigated emotionally choppy waters in a new interview, as the musician called out singer Mike Love over the latter's speech at the funeral of late musician and band co-founder Brian Wilson.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
The action is at at best competent but uninspired, and at worst (such as a sword fight toward the end) choppy and nauseating.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
-
Silksong was first announced in 2019, and after sporadic details and development promises, the DLC turned full release was given a formal release date just two weeks ago — causing mayhem like the Eras Tour movie for other game releases.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Their appearance is sporadic and unpredictable.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Homers reheat Royals’ cold offense The Royals’ offense has hit another rough patch.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Additionally, avoid using any pads or scrubbers with a rough surface that could damage the cabinet finish.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Choosing a new kitchen counter can be confusing.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
-
But for as long as social media is a part of the childhood experience, parents and children will be forced to navigate this confusing world of misinformation and unrealistic messaging.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The boats offer a low-effort way to spy on some of the coolest marine life in the region, including bat rays and even the occasional shark.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
By night, Criel entertains guests for intimate dinners — and the occasional artistic performance.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Boise State played an uneven first half in Tampa, fumbling twice and committing a huge penalty that gave life to a South Florida touchdown drive.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Aug. 2025
-
This isn’t because the devices don’t work, but rather because the NHS has faced barriers like high upfront costs, limited specialist staff and slow, uneven implementation of national guidance.—
Kath Mackay,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Too inconsistent for Andoni Iraola’s liking, only averaging a goal or assist every 175 minutes in all competitions last season, his talent isn’t in doubt, but can Keith Andrews turn Brentford’s record signing into a top-level Premier League player?—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The combination of his age, declining offensive efficiency, high-volume turnovers and inconsistent play likely plays a factor.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
From a cyberpsychology perspective, smartphones trigger reward pathways in teenagers' developing brains through intermittent reinforcement, which is the same mechanism that makes online gambling addictive.—
Angelica Mari,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Renewables alone are too intermittent to meet the energy needs of life on the moon.—
Emily Waltz,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Gateway — the Artemis program's pitstop space station in lunar orbit — has had a bumpy path inside the program's architecture.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Cal picks her up in a muddy old 4×4, then takes her on a bumpy ride through the bush during which the tension quickly heightens between them.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share