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 single thread throughout this herky-jerky tale is, oddly enough, the novels of Charles Dickens, taught by James’ grandfather, absorbed by James and quoted endlessly by Irving.
—
The Know, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
His quickness and herky-jerky rhythm define his game.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The Bone Temple is in many ways a more conventional film than 28 Years Later; DaCosta thankfully doesn’t try to re-create the herky-jerky rhythms and mixed-media montages of Boyle’s picture.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Primo left the seams showing on his best beats, deftly combining chunky sample chops and simple, swinging, heavy-bag drums into herky-jerky, screw-face symphonies.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
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
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
The Know, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
His quickness and herky-jerky rhythm define his game.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The Bone Temple is in many ways a more conventional film than 28 Years Later; DaCosta thankfully doesn’t try to re-create the herky-jerky rhythms and mixed-media montages of Boyle’s picture.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Primo left the seams showing on his best beats, deftly combining chunky sample chops and simple, swinging, heavy-bag drums into herky-jerky, screw-face symphonies.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
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Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Nivea’s Intense Healing formula takes a richer approach, focusing on long-lasting moisture that can soften rough areas like knees, elbows, and heels.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So while ending as a positive, the unit’s minutes were uneven.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Sound waves ricocheting between buildings stretched out reverberation times and created an uneven acoustic field.—
Yook JiHun,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Avoid jerky or panicky movements, and don’t wave for help — movement may attract the drone.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
April: Any jerky, any sort of jerky, Paddy: What's your favorite?—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency warns that glare, fog and choppy water can make small craft hard to spot.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Investors looking to navigate the choppy market should consider certain defensive plays, according to Barclays.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Those prone to seasickness should prepare for a potentially bumpy, albeit quick, ride.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But the road to further innovation has been a bumpy one.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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