1
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions made jerky progress walking with the new crutches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 jerky The group choreography is somehow both jerky and smooth, sprinkled with flashes of individual freestyle brilliance. Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025 Steer Smoothly Avoid sharp turns or jerky movements that can lead to skidding. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2025 The Delicious Darkness of Squid Game Food Tie-Ins Fast food, jerky, and whisky may seem worlds apart from the deadly stakes of Squid Game, but these tie-ins have tapped into the show's global resonance. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025 Pair with a smorgasbord that includes sharp cheeses, jerky and fresh vegetables—cauliflower and broccoli. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jerky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerky
Adjective
  • If your skin is extremely dry and rough, however, the La Roche-Posay Body Moisturizer is rich in prebiotic thermal water, shea butter, and niacinamide is another one of Tookes’ recommendations.
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 2 June 2025
  • Cloudy skies, rough surf and limited battery life can all reduce their effectiveness.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • Camp, stupid, joyful—to both own and access—Labubu has taken over.
    Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 31 May 2025
  • This is just stupid how successful this is, but that’s really underselling it.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • Bread crumbs • Props to the hair, makeup, and costuming departments for differentiating Kiki’s Simone from pre-Michaela Simone, who showed up to the island with a scraggly ponytail, a gray button-down, uneven skin, and scrawled tattoos.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 May 2025
  • Read Next Boise & Garden City Boise River Greenbelt biker dies from head injuries after crashing on uneven pathway September 6, 2024 4:00 AM This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 4:00 AM.
    Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • If a couple players on the Dodgers can make a silly comment, so can the owner of the Yankees.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
  • The idea of telling someone that a specific whiskey glass is the absolute best is silly, like trying to dictate the design of their wedding ring for them.
    Tom Mylan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin, all in their 30s, shimmied with a homemade raft through hidden holes in their cell walls, climbed through a ventilation duct onto the roof and shoved off from the island fortress into the freezing, choppy waters of San Francisco Bay.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
  • Just a couple of weeks after showing up at the Met Gala in a shockingly short hairstyle, Kidman is serving up a saturated, asymmetrical bob with uneven baby bangs and a stick-straight, choppy look brought to fruition by hairstylist Evanie Frausto.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • To write off the Israeli leader would be foolish, especially with new elections not required until late 2026.
    Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
  • His writing is so human—his people are foolish in such human ways.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • One thing that’s been a challenge to satirists in the last 10 years is that reality has become so absurd, with the dumbest possible things happening every day, that there doesn’t always seem to be another level for satire to go to.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
  • Read it because existence is absurd, and laughter might be the most intelligent response available.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • Tauruses will go crazy for something chic, functional, and soft to the touch.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2023
  • Before getting into the chaos of episode 5, that episode 4 cliff hanger was crazy.
    Calie Schepp, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2023

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerky. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on jerky

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!