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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
If those rules are broken, the coffee table starts to look more sloppy than stylish.
—
Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
When workflows are sloppy and there’s little or no governance, AI systems can't do their jobs properly.
—Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Roomy usually means sloppy; structured can mean stiff.
—Dan Michel, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025
With two weeks until the regular season, Miami’s first-team offense certainly has work to do as the execution initially looked a bit sloppy.
—Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
When workflows are sloppy and there’s little or no governance, AI systems can't do their jobs properly.
—Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Roomy usually means sloppy; structured can mean stiff.
—Dan Michel, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025
With two weeks until the regular season, Miami’s first-team offense certainly has work to do as the execution initially looked a bit sloppy.
—Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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Depending on how things shake out in court, representation could get messy for west Charlotte’s City Council District 3.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Sep. 2025
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And that the wig was messy, but cute.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is a young and talented group with tremendous upside under a defensive coordinator who thrives off chaotic defensive lines.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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But everything about this first half offensively — save for one TD pass to Sutton — has felt unorganized and ineffective and chaotic.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Locals are sentimental about the happy, drunken teen graduates, who are thanked by strangers for their future contributions to Denmark.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The conceit is inherently crowdpleasing — a man stumbling into strangers’ lives and finding unexpected connection — but Hikari steers it with earnestness, elevating it beyond sentimental comedy.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
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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
Adjective
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While his wife and daughter build a new life in Vienna, Roman stays behind — confused, restless and convinced that things will get better.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
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With nearby MPs training their guns on her, Ziva laid down her weapon and sprawled across the blacktop, looking up at a confused Tali.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to San Angelo, some signs of a dirty microwave filter include if they are discolored, sticky, and/or sometimes smell like grease.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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Sapodilla, a pear-like fruit that looks like a coconut, adds a malty butterscotch intensity to a sticky toffee pudding.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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University of Cincinnati researchers and students sampled wet and dry soil in the Burnet Woods valley in June 2025.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Sep. 2025
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These aftermarket ultra-high performance summer tires are an excellent choice for driving enthusiasts seeking to maximize grip in both dry and wet conditions (the fitment was 235/40R18—the factory stock size for the Civic Si).—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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