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
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
What better for the crafty, herky-jerky guard than a big man who can roll, pop and allow Brunson to play off the ball more because of his passing?
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Lamar rapped with intense focus, nailing every bit of elegantly herky-jerky choreography.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2025
Experts agree mid-drive bikes typically deliver a less herky-jerky ride, because the motor assist is integrated into the pedal crank itself.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
Judging by what Trump has said so far, and the herky-jerky way peace talks in Saudi Arabia have been rolled out, the president would be satisfied with a ceasefire that contained no guarantees of Ukrainian security should Putin later renege on the deal.
—Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
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
What better for the crafty, herky-jerky guard than a big man who can roll, pop and allow Brunson to play off the ball more because of his passing?
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Lamar rapped with intense focus, nailing every bit of elegantly herky-jerky choreography.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2025
Experts agree mid-drive bikes typically deliver a less herky-jerky ride, because the motor assist is integrated into the pedal crank itself.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
Judging by what Trump has said so far, and the herky-jerky way peace talks in Saudi Arabia have been rolled out, the president would be satisfied with a ceasefire that contained no guarantees of Ukrainian security should Putin later renege on the deal.
—Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
-
Ransom Canyon star Josh Duhamel didn’t have a rough time getting to know the set of his new film Off the Grid because the actor lives off the grid in real-life.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Avoid scrubbing the microwave’s interior with rough materials like steel wool or abrasive sponges.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, although each member of the crew has their own particular skillset, the time spent on individual characters is uneven, and a smaller cast would have likely made things more effective.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
25 June 2025
-
Moreover, the legal playing field itself can be quite uneven.—
Mark Berookim,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Mine-Cart Madness really is that jerky, definitely look out for your back and neck.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
People.com,
22 May 2025
-
No word yet on the number of types of jerky, flavors of kolaches, or length of the barbecue counter.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The water’s likely to get much choppier in the afternoon.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
-
Investors may want to consider dividend-paying stocks as a way to enhance returns in the event of choppy markets.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Washington — The Senate passed a landmark piece of legislation to regulate crypto after a bumpy path through the upper chamber.—
June 17,
CBS News,
17 June 2025
-
Consonant-heavy words lumber and stumble across a bumpy verbal landscape.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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