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
To make matters worse, since the retirement of the space shuttle, crew vehicles frequently land in the water, which means astronauts may deal with choppy waves until their capsule is recovered.
—
Taylor Lonner, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
The series had been slated to air on Hulu, but earlier this month, reports emerged that the streaming company was no longer in the mix following Belichick’s choppy start in Chapel Hill.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Sitake’s steadiness helped BYU escape the choppy waters of FBS independence and transition into a Power 4 conference in 2023.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Stewart stepped out with choppy baby bangs and wavy, shoulder-length hair in her natural shade of brunette that harkens back to her Twilight days.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Taylor Lonner, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
The series had been slated to air on Hulu, but earlier this month, reports emerged that the streaming company was no longer in the mix following Belichick’s choppy start in Chapel Hill.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Sitake’s steadiness helped BYU escape the choppy waters of FBS independence and transition into a Power 4 conference in 2023.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Stewart stepped out with choppy baby bangs and wavy, shoulder-length hair in her natural shade of brunette that harkens back to her Twilight days.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
-
During the current shutdown, there have been sporadic reports of unauthorized drone use, and law enforcement rangers are responding as normal.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
-
And while many say Dexcom is aware of the issue, users describe the company’s response as limited primarily to silence, apologies, and sporadic replacements.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This usually happens for a variety of reasons, including love biting, fear, anxiety, being a pet, frustration, rough play, social pressure, illness, or pain.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Dolphins won six of eight after that rough start last season, and the team hopes that turnaround can be duplicated.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This last episode was much more confusing than usual.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The fragmentation of this reality has made things exciting, confusing, and frustrating for the average individual who, when walking into a dispensary for the first time, is confronted with a wall of packages and detailed, jargony labels.—
Carly Fisher,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There are occasional reminders that the Mafia lingers.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
All the pieces seem to fit, producing a symphony of contact and occasional crescendo of slug.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The pressure rhythm was adjusted to an uneven triangle pattern to better match the freezing process.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Barcelona arrives determined to reclaim momentum after an uneven run of performances.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
By the end of the season, one of the biggest conversations regarding the WNBA revolved around what many saw as inconsistent officiating, which can arguably result in mixed messages about what level of physicality is allowed on the court.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Fairlead Strategies or its affiliates may have positions in financial instruments mentioned, may have acquired such positions at prices no longer available, and may have interests different from or adverse to your interests or inconsistent with the advice herein.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike other renewable sources of energy, which are intermittent, osmotic power runs 24 hours per day, independent of the weather.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Most areas along the western and northern lakeshore will see intermittent rain, though totals are lighter than the heaviest lake-effect bands farther north.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The contestants then had to compete in a physically taxing challenge that involved pushing a heavy cart along a bumpy path, stacking sand bags, climbing ladders, knocking discs off poles, and then finally knocking down four bamboo targets.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Stick to your long-term strategy and add some cushioning to help your portfolio ride out bumpy patches.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share