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 Liberty were sloppy too — totaling nine turnovers to Phoenix’s five by halftime.
—
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 30 May 2026
These pants feel easy and relaxed without looking sloppy.
—Aashna Gheewalla, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
But the offensive onslaught was equally reflective of a third consecutive sloppy defensive performance from the Sky.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Most of the game was played in a steady rain with the infield becoming very sloppy in the ninth.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 30 May 2026
These pants feel easy and relaxed without looking sloppy.
—Aashna Gheewalla, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
But the offensive onslaught was equally reflective of a third consecutive sloppy defensive performance from the Sky.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Most of the game was played in a steady rain with the infield becoming very sloppy in the ninth.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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To make matters messier, Danson and Goldberg’s romance was cooling off and the two actually tried to get out of the Friars roast, but the club said the tickets had been sold and the show must go on.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Miami-Dade’s mayor is forcing out both her top deputy and the PortMiami director as her administration faces a costly and messy real estate deal to prevent the port’s fuel depot from being lost to a luxury condo development.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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This efficient metro connects the whole city, without having to brave the chaotic, crowded streets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Witnesses described a chaotic scene as gunfire erupted near the beach.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Or, for Mark Layne, sentimental.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
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The month begins with Mercury entering sentimental Cancer on June 1, adding a layer of sensitivity, intuition and vulnerability to our exchanges.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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And this is where the movie takes off from retro mythology to become its own slovenly mod thing.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2026
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To Washington, a beard made a man look unkempt and slovenly, masking the higher emotions that civility required.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After analyzing everything from Substack posts to my group chats, my hottest take is that everyone is simply confused.—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
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The man didn’t appear to make contact with any of the players during his few seconds on court, with replays showing Wembanyama smiling and looking confused.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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But when rains fall heavily between November and April, sticky clay soils make traveling around it tricky.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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One non-stick skillet for delicate foods (eggs, omelets, fish) and sticky batters (pancakes).—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Participants with wet but non-wrinkled fingers required significantly more force to maintain the same hold; their hands were working harder to do less.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The president had complained about filthy water and a leaking foundation, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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And some of the best evidence of the lovebugs’ comeback came last week at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza on Florida’s Turnpike, where filthy, splattered cars and trucks queued up before the plaza’s automatic windshield washer.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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