1
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
made jerky progress walking with the new crutches
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
he's acting jerky just to get people's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jerky
The actors moved in jerky spasms, replicating a quirk that film lovers would catch: after 1928, with the introduction of the talkies, silent films were almost always projected at the wrong speed.
—
David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
My hand wandered into Armstrong's face during the lift and my motions felt jerky.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
The contrast between the camera’s jerky motion and the languid, slow movements of the film’s subjects is striking.
—Gazelle Mba, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2025
Her jerky, spastic motions draw concerned looks from others at the event, ultimately losing her a lot of respect from those who attended the party.
—Sara Belcher, People.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerky
David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
My hand wandered into Armstrong's face during the lift and my motions felt jerky.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
The contrast between the camera’s jerky motion and the languid, slow movements of the film’s subjects is striking.
—Gazelle Mba, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2025
Her jerky, spastic motions draw concerned looks from others at the event, ultimately losing her a lot of respect from those who attended the party.
—Sara Belcher, People.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerky
Adjective
-
Weather conditions and rough seas can influence whether SpaceX and NASA commit to undock from the ISS and target a specific splashdown site.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The financials are having another rough day as big bank investors took profits in Citigroup , Bank of America , and Wells Fargo after earnings, following a similar trend with JPMorgan on Tuesday.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Set in a perpetually sunny, idealized England vaguely between the wars, The Code of the Woosters concerns the misadventures of man-about-town Bertie Wooster (stupid, amiable, rich) and his impeccably helpful valet Jeeves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
At Amiri’s trial last year, Manly-Williams was brushed off by the defense as the stupidest witness prosecutors presented.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Lost Lambs is a confident if uneven start for a morbidly funny writer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The low-pile rug has short fibers that prevent uneven crushing from heavy foot traffic and give it more durability over time.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This struck many experts as silly.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Frequent co-stars Johnson and Hart, known for their hilarious chemistry, have played Rock, Paper, Scissors and other silly games in promos for their movies, especially their Jumanji films.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The cut's signature short, choppy layers take out some of the hair's weight and add movement.—
Audrey Noble,
InStyle,
13 Jan. 2026
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Between wading or boating into choppy surf, baking in the hot sun, and getting doused in salty spray, the elements are brutal on the human body and the gear meant to withstand them.—
Francesca Krempa,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
House’s agenda is to get Cooper to reveal himself as secretly working against Vault-Tec for resistance leader Lee Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury), but Cooper isn’t that foolish.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The Giants would be foolish to pay Harbaugh a ton of money and then not take full advantage of his expertise in the science of winning.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Code Pink is a bunch of insane radicals and someone could have gotten hurt.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Jan. 2026
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At 5-foot-8 and 140 pounds, Keira is the first to admit she’s not blessed with insane athletic ability.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And everyone is mad at Andrew—though this one feels like a rumor and more reality.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Jan. 2026
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He’s been thrown straight into a mad month, in which Chelsea have Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League fixtures.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerky. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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