as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
filmed in a herky-jerky style that will give many moviegoers a headache
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Recent Examples of herky-jerky
The way that life unfolds in herky-jerky, unpredictable rhythms informs the experimental approach that Dijon, a 33-year-old producer-singer, takes to R&B.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Cohen's low arm slot and herky-jerky motion deliver a frisbee effect that should have right-handed batters scratching their heads at the major league level.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
President Donald Trump’s herky-jerky trade war maneuvering certainly falls into that camp as well.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
If the segues in Scene don’t feel haphazard and herky-jerky, this is in no small part because of the role addiction plays as connective tissue between sections, a kind of leitmotif.
—Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
In a throwback to the warts-and-all silliness of the family’s legendary MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Coming Home appears to lean into the domestic comedy of the Osbourne clan, opening with a jittery Ozzy begging Sharon to stop driving in a herky-jerky manner.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
The lineup of dishes and sauces and combos verges on overwhelming; they’re presented in a mix of typefaces and colors, and punctuated by herky-jerky photo animations—a waving hand holding a soft-serve twist, spidery fingers with brass nail extensions used in the traditional Thai dance Fawn Leb.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Porter is the flashier option—herky-jerky handle, can get his own shot, and takes some of the scoring load off Antetokounmpo.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
On Sushi, vivid splashes of R&B sleekness coexist with rap interludes, herky-jerky dance rhythms, and even a bit of jazzy trumpeting.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Cohen's low arm slot and herky-jerky motion deliver a frisbee effect that should have right-handed batters scratching their heads at the major league level.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
President Donald Trump’s herky-jerky trade war maneuvering certainly falls into that camp as well.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
If the segues in Scene don’t feel haphazard and herky-jerky, this is in no small part because of the role addiction plays as connective tissue between sections, a kind of leitmotif.
—Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
In a throwback to the warts-and-all silliness of the family’s legendary MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Coming Home appears to lean into the domestic comedy of the Osbourne clan, opening with a jittery Ozzy begging Sharon to stop driving in a herky-jerky manner.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
The lineup of dishes and sauces and combos verges on overwhelming; they’re presented in a mix of typefaces and colors, and punctuated by herky-jerky photo animations—a waving hand holding a soft-serve twist, spidery fingers with brass nail extensions used in the traditional Thai dance Fawn Leb.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Porter is the flashier option—herky-jerky handle, can get his own shot, and takes some of the scoring load off Antetokounmpo.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
On Sushi, vivid splashes of R&B sleekness coexist with rap interludes, herky-jerky dance rhythms, and even a bit of jazzy trumpeting.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
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Other government notices mentioned the size and rough location of the construction.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Yams tend to be white fleshed with a rough, brown exterior.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Trojans' uneven season hasn't exactly helped slow rumors either.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Involuntary jerky motions and stiffness are common, as well as trouble walking, speaking and swallowing.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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Instead of his usual calm demeanor, Chris did these chores with jerky, fast movements.—
Juli Fraga,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The star of her beauty look is definitely her asymmetrical, choppy bangs.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
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Living Proof’s shampoo gives hair the same effect as a texturizing sea salt spray, paving the way for a lightweight, choppy styler like clay or fiber.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The original film version of The Running Man traveled a far bumpier road than its new counterpart.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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