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
As the boat of partiers zooms away into the choppy waters of the Boca Raton inlet, the video pans out to the spread of debris left floating in their wake.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Top looks out on the Tagus River, choppy and windy today, whitecaps blowing on the water like bumps on snakeskin.
—Dana Vachon, Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025
With the lack of apparent progress in tariff talks with Netanyahu, market indices seesawed as the two leaders addressed reporters in the White House in the minutes before Wall Street closed mixed after a day of choppy trading.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Stocks are choppy Tuesday, with all three major indexes struggling to maintain their early gains.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Top looks out on the Tagus River, choppy and windy today, whitecaps blowing on the water like bumps on snakeskin.
—Dana Vachon, Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025
With the lack of apparent progress in tariff talks with Netanyahu, market indices seesawed as the two leaders addressed reporters in the White House in the minutes before Wall Street closed mixed after a day of choppy trading.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Stocks are choppy Tuesday, with all three major indexes struggling to maintain their early gains.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
-
More recently, the Trump administration’s sporadic tariff changes have made future prices more uncertain, which exposes people to risks.—
Sophie Mitra,
The Conversation,
1 May 2025
-
The bench was sporadic during the regular season, and outside of Mitchell Robinson and Cam Payne’s performance in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the bench has been nonexistent this playoffs.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
However, there are some plants that are less appealing to animals, such as those with pungent scents, fuzzy leaves, prickly or rough foliage, or a bitter taste.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
But it must be remembered that even the best bullpen has at least one rough stretch in a season.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
Goygol includes 65,000 residents, prim parks, tall pines and occasional Tyrolean architecture.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
-
With some occasional help from the Rockies, who committed three errors and one big mental mistake, the Padres (24-13) scored in five different innings.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
John’s piano and vocals, thankfully, were front and center, and did not suffer from uneven mixing.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 May 2025
-
This can be seen when the gap between the doors is too small, too large, or uneven.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Orlando Sentinel Chicago has been inconsistent this season, most recently losing to Nashville SC 7-2, and has gone winless in the last five matches.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2025
-
But his hands are inconsistent after recording the most drops (10) of any receiver in the nation last season.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
According to devotees—especially followers of ketogenic and paleo diets or intermittent fasting—this intriguing combo boosts energy and concentration.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Over time, this loop of expectation and intermittent reward can create addictive behavioral patterns similar to those seen in gambling.—
Ximena Araya-Fischel,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Class of 2025 has traveled a long and bumpy road to commencement.—
Christine Y. Cruzvergara,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Whether on bumpy terrain or slick city streets, these shoes will keep you stable, mile after mile.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Technical glitches and changing rules are frustrating borrowers trying to plan.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
-
Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about the frustrating Game 2 loss, revealing a big regret that led to the defeat.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share