jerry-built 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjer-ē-ˌbilt How to pronounce jerry-built (audio)
Definition of jerry-builtnext
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed my jerry-built wine racks may not look pretty, but they get the job done

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jerry-built

2 of 2

verb

past tense of jerry-build
as in rebuilt

Related Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerry-built
  1. clumsy
  2. rebuilt
  3. rough
  4. reconstructed
  5. rude
  6. retrofitted
  7. flawed
  8. devised
Adjective
  • And the big rocket launch feels way too clumsy, the stakes feeling much lower than play builds towards.
    — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 17 July 2026
  • Paul Breitner, West Germany vs Netherlands, 1974 The Germans equalise from the spot after a clumsy foul by Wim Jansen.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of clumsy
Verb
  • Herod the Great later rebuilt it, renamed it Sebastia, and added monumental structures that survived through the Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Crusader periods.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • After receiving the benefit of that new technology through COVID, Inspire soon standardized what was unique, rebuilt what already worked, and sidelined the very capabilities that powered Sonic’s enduring momentum.
    — Clifford Hudson, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of rebuilt
Adjective
  • Bannister Road has been rough to drive on for seemingly years.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • The relationship between the two had been rough for a while, and Traci was excited to build a new life for herself independent of her husband.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
Definition of rough
Verb
  • For the first time, astronomers have reconstructed the magnetic field of an entire cluster of galaxies, from its central nucleus to its outer limits.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 July 2026
  • Mendieta made installations of these silhouette works, too, one of which is reconstructed in the exhibition under the careful guidance of her niece, Raquel Cecilia Mendieta.
    — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of reconstructed
Adjective
  • In the nearly 90-second recording, Varela calls the customer service representative lazy, rude and racist and asks her for her name tag.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • Posey can deliver an absurd line with such conviction that arguing with her would seem rude.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of rude
Verb
  • The report included the lack of antimissile capabilities in the new aircraft, a Boeing 747-8 that was donated by the government of Qatar and later retrofitted.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 July 2026
  • Laser projectors still beat out the older IMAX digital xenon 2K resolution projectors, which were retrofitted into existing theaters.
    — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026
Definition of retrofitted
Adjective
  • In August 2025, Scott’s legal team, along with the LAIP, filed a habeas corpus petition alleging a wrongful conviction based on flawed forensic evidence.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026
  • Odysseus himself exemplifies both exemplary and flawed leadership.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of flawed
Verb
  • While many may remember the warrior Achilles from the Trojan War, Odysseus was the cunning strategist who devised the famous Trojan Horse plan to enter Troy.
    — Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
  • Wirsching headed up the Roundtable on Historical Responsibility that devised the new procedures.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of devised
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.

Browse Nearby Words

jerry-builds
jerry-built
jerry-rigged
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Cite this Entry

“Jerry-built.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerry-built. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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