1
as in messy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
In other cases, victims have slammed the department for sloppy redactions that revealed their sensitive information.
—
Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Technically, the show was sloppy; a camera was dropped, people out of shot and out of focus.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
Both sides looked sloppy at times after a two-and-a-half-hour weather delay at halftime, but the visitors found enough to take down the Pride.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Playing a sloppy period for one of the few times this calendar year, Dallas gave up four goals — two on breakaways, including a short-handed goal on a giveaway by Miro Heiskanen — as Utah ended the points streak with an emphatic 6-3 victory at the AAC.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Technically, the show was sloppy; a camera was dropped, people out of shot and out of focus.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
Both sides looked sloppy at times after a two-and-a-half-hour weather delay at halftime, but the visitors found enough to take down the Pride.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Playing a sloppy period for one of the few times this calendar year, Dallas gave up four goals — two on breakaways, including a short-handed goal on a giveaway by Miro Heiskanen — as Utah ended the points streak with an emphatic 6-3 victory at the AAC.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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That’s something that the broader AI industry has so far struggled to do, partly because LLMs are typically trained on vast, messy datasets scraped from across the internet, where ownership, consent and individual contributions from millions of sources are nearly impossible to track.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Over the years, messy planning has led to controversial, costly golden parachutes, shareholder lawsuits, a stockholder revolt and a bitter, distracting proxy fight.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In recent years, south suburban Dolton and Thornton Township have become synonymous with political dysfunction — chaotic public meetings, allegations of financial impropriety, and residents stuck with deficits and unpaid bills.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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At Chicago O’Hare International Airport, a CNN reporter saw chaotic scenes, with passengers shuffling from line to line.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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One of the newest bands on the Street Mob roster, the quartet has stood out for its smoother, more sentimental approach to música mexicana — and for the wildly likable onstage presence of singer and frontman Gustavo Raya-García.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
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Exceptions To My Closet Clean-Out Rule The only exceptions to my rule are extremely sentimental and/or dressy pieces.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 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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The horse is very confused by your utter lack of consideration as to the consequences.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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Late last year, Walsh told the Tribune the government’s move to press charges had left her shocked and confused.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The formula isn’t sticky or tacky.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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Back then, gaming gear meant a sticky controller with a frayed wire and a TV that hummed louder than the game itself.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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 filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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But there’s a difference between a dirty deal and a filthy deal.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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