1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a sharp, choppy wind coming off the lake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
the old cable car provides a picturesque but choppy ride to the mountain's peak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confusing
not clearly or logically connected
the plot was intriguing, but the author's style was so choppy that I finally gave up in frustration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of choppy
Two months into the year, and things have gotten a bit choppy.
—
Alicia Wallace and Matt Stiles, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
Streaming video played smoothly at up to 50 feet from the outdoor node but became a bit choppy at around 75 feet (which put me in my neighbor’s fenced yard).
—PCMAG, 2 Mar. 2025
Chamberlain’s daring hairstyle, which also featured choppy baby bangs, required a team of hair pros including stylist Sami Knight, cutter Frank (who goes by @fabulousfrank on Instagram) and colorist Anthony Vincent Ronquillo.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
The stock market has had a choppy first two months of 2025, but history suggests Wall Street could get a seasonal reprieve as the calendar turns to March.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Alicia Wallace and Matt Stiles, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
Streaming video played smoothly at up to 50 feet from the outdoor node but became a bit choppy at around 75 feet (which put me in my neighbor’s fenced yard).
—PCMAG, 2 Mar. 2025
Chamberlain’s daring hairstyle, which also featured choppy baby bangs, required a team of hair pros including stylist Sami Knight, cutter Frank (who goes by @fabulousfrank on Instagram) and colorist Anthony Vincent Ronquillo.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
The stock market has had a choppy first two months of 2025, but history suggests Wall Street could get a seasonal reprieve as the calendar turns to March.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
-
Peoples Gas has been onsite multiple times over the winter and identified the boiler exhaust flue as a potential source of the sporadic smell, district officials said.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Local media did sporadic stories about the local flooding, but there were endless reports about Western NC, including from national news outlets.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Sony has also had a bit of a rough time with the PS5 Pro, a device which has had at least some measure of technical problems where at times, its upgrades are failing to impress or even on occasion, making some games look worse.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Below are the stocks that came up in our search: While shares of Tesla , which has an RSI of around 22, advanced more than 5% midday Tuesday, on track to snap a three-day losing streak, the stock has had a rough time in recent weeks.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Even their occasional technical difficulties resolved into exhilarating feedback storms.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Rolling Stone,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Winds will increase during the afternoon hours, with occasional gusts to around 15 to 20 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The main story is very strangely uneven, the routes and caves are often straight pathways with little in them, and none of it is really difficult at all.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
-
The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic – from devastation, to optimism for eradication, to persistent, uneven spread of disease – may seem unprecedented.—
Powel H. Kazanjian,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
However, the Jets’ defense was inconsistent after Robert Saleh’s firing following a 2-3 start.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
-
But uneven rain patterns across the state mean the wildflower situation will be inconsistent.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Roughly 164 were returned to non-pay intermittent status, while the rest were returned to paid administrative leave.—
Ashley Murray,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Mar. 2025
-
The 2025 season opener in Australia was an intense race for all F1 teams considering the intermittent rainfall that led them to shift tire strategies according to the varying conditions.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And yes, inflation is continuing its bumpy descent, according to February’s Consumer Price Index report.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Not anymore, thanks to this exfoliating salicylic acid cleanser for rough and bumpy skin.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For Embiid, this is another frustrating chapter in an otherwise brilliant but injury-plagued career.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Very few severe crashes in Sacramento are followed by an arrest, and several survivors of crashes have previously said that soft or nonexistent charges were frustrating and demeaning.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacramento Bee,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share