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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Yams tend to be white fleshed with a rough, brown exterior.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The early days of the season have been decidedly uneven.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Special features include their grippy Vibram outsoles, cushiony FloatPro Foam pods, and extra underfoot protection against rocks and uneven terrain.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
1 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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There is a defence that sounds better in theory than is working in practice, and a half-court offence that is choppy.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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Such a name seemed fitting as the choppy waters sprayed us like a river baptism.—
Ryan Knighton,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
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 Nov. 2025.
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