1
as in messy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
dumped the papers in a sloppy pile on the desk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a cinematic romance with a sloppy musical score that will have audiences reaching for their handkerchiefs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
The tension between these two figures is palpable: Nick, sloppy, aggressive and constantly toeing the line of abuse and law enforcement, is a brute of a cop, while Merrimen and his team operate with military-like precision, executing jobs with minimal chaos and maximum control.
—
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
The Braves are 21-22, having reached .500 for the first time Tuesday before blowing a 4-1 lead in a sloppy loss Wednesday.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 15 May 2025
For me, the medium-thick stability sole packs the right mix of padding and energy return without being too squishy, wobbly, or sloppy.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 9 May 2025
Sinner won a bizarre semifinal in his first tournament back from a three-month doping ban, while Alcaraz triumphed in a sloppy duel.
—Sam Settleman, New York Times, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
The Braves are 21-22, having reached .500 for the first time Tuesday before blowing a 4-1 lead in a sloppy loss Wednesday.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 15 May 2025
For me, the medium-thick stability sole packs the right mix of padding and energy return without being too squishy, wobbly, or sloppy.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 9 May 2025
Sinner won a bizarre semifinal in his first tournament back from a three-month doping ban, while Alcaraz triumphed in a sloppy duel.
—Sam Settleman, New York Times, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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Felix, a neat freak, moves in with his messy best friend Oscar following his divorce, and their relationship is put to the test — and then some.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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There, Parker stuck to her middle part, messy waves and played with pattern clashing, wearing a button-up, floral midi dress under a turquoise jacket decoarted in white polka dots.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The 2021 withdrawal was unacceptably chaotic and bloody, the takeover by the Taliban shameful, but that war is now over.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
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No dogs will be allowed because Matthews didn’t want dogs’ first experience at the facility to be chaotic and filled with stress.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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On Monday, May 26, the celebrity chef, 65, shared a sentimental throwback picture of her late ex-husband, Eddie Van Halen, and her late mother, Nancy Bertinelli.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
26 May 2025
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In Amrum, Fatih Akin stages a sentimental conversation between himself and his mentor, the German director Hark Bohm.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Related Stories The movie O’Neil has put together out of this footage, which premiered last night at Cannes, is by any real-world standard a slovenly and undisciplined piece of work.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
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Disappointed Steve Dear Steve: The real disappointment comes from slovenly people who throw trash onto our highways, or fail to properly secure their cargo.—
Frank Fellone,
Arkansas Online,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Photos showed the group seemingly confused about what was happening during the moment.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
21 May 2025
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The audio proves otherwise as the recordings show Biden was confused, rambling, and couldn’t even remember when his son Beau died.—
Doug Friednash,
Denver Post,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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The reviews and social conversation were becoming apparent that this had inserted itself into the culture in a really sticky way.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2025
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As the Southern heat creeps up more and more, putting together an outfit that’s stylish but doesn’t leave you drenched in sweat or sticky from humidity can be a challenge.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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When driving on wet roads, don’t try to overcorrect when steering, officials warned, KTRK reported.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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Memorial Day weekend forecast A large portion of the center of the country will likely see a wet, rainy holiday weekend, forecasters said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Stir in buttermilk, sour cream, and chives until a shaggy dough forms.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
5 May 2025
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The cut takes inspiration from shaggy '70s and ’90s haircuts, but celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and Kaia Gerber have brought the style back into the spotlight.—
Liv Holland,
Allure,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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