as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions filmed in a herky-jerky style that will give many moviegoers a headache

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 herky-jerky 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 His smooth, yet herky-jerky style has had defenses guessing and gasping all season. Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025 That’s a bit surprising given his herky-jerky, all-joints-flying-at-you, cross-firing delivery. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025 Remember that live design collaboration suffered from maddening lag times and herky-jerky movements just a few short years ago. PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025 But even if Trump’s tariffs ultimately end up being less harsh than feared, a worry hitting the market is that their herky-jerky rollout may by itself create enough nervousness to get U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would damage the economy. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
  • The advanced energy management system elevates the ride experience, allowing users to push boundaries with confidence—whether tackling steep hills, rough paths, or long-distance adventures.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Even so, rough surf and rip currents could spread along the US East Coast next week.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • After Florida State and Clemson fought for an uneven share of ACC revenue, a Georgia Tech versus Virginia championship game just feels right.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Southern live oaks draped in Spanish moss that tower and twist over city squares, Neoclassical Antebellum architecture, gas lamps that flicker over uneven cobblestone paths, and a humid subtropical climate that hangs heavy in the air.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Involuntary jerky motions and stiffness are common, as well as trouble walking, speaking and swallowing.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Instead of his usual calm demeanor, Chris did these chores with jerky, fast movements.
    Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Keri Russell struggles to keep her head above choppy foreign waters on Netflix's The Diplomat.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 17 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
Adjective
  • Stick to your long-term strategy and add some cushioning to help your portfolio ride out bumpy patches.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • These bumpy strips will represent the bones.
    Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!