as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions filmed in a herky-jerky style that will give many moviegoers a headache

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Examples 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 herky-jerky Watching Eddie Redmayne do his herky-jerky dance, reaching out to the camera like a William Castle 3-D movie. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 17 June 2024 Hong Kong martial arts cinema legend Sammo Hung brought jiangshi to the screen with 1980’s Encounters of the Spooky Kind, a silly kung fu horror-comedy that features a hilarious set piece as Hung comically evades a hopping corpse’s herky-jerky attacks. James Grebey, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024 There’s a lot of herky-jerky stopping and starting, but when Jenn gets behind the wheel, things are relatively smooth. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 23 July 2024 The herky-jerky, on-and-off annual decision-making stops us from spending money efficiently in the way that the taxpayer expects. Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2015 Experts agree mid-drive bikes typically deliver a less herky-jerky ride, because the motor assist is integrated into the pedal crank itself. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024 While there are some harder throwers in the system, the Rangers have been impressed by the 25-year old’s fastball-slider combination, a herky-jerky delivery and a fastball that appears to be on a jet stream moving up to the batter’s eyes. Evan Grant, Dallas News, 31 May 2023 Today just seemed a little herky-jerky, a little out of character, out of tempo and rhythm. Evan Grant, Dallas News, 22 Apr. 2023 Showtime’s Yellowjackets, which premieres its second season opposite the fourth and final season of Succession, is a series with herky-jerky mechanics. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
  • What Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay really meant to him, the Warriors Curry, on a rough shooting night, took a charge on Jake LaRavia and then swiped Jaylen Wells in the backcourt before hitting a 3.
    Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Related Articles Clippers find something in reserve, rally past Spurs for 1st Intuit Dome win There are issues aplenty in Clippers’ rough six-game start Can James Harden carry these Clippers at 35?
    Janis Carr, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The move relegates Miller Moss to a reserve role after nine uneven starts this season.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
  • But the reality has been far more sluggish, marked by incremental progress and uneven adoption.
    Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The savory taste of jerky pairs well with sweet fruits like a medium-sized pear, which provides 5.52 grams of fiber (20% of the DV).442 A Quick Review Protein and fiber are essential nutrients for maintaining overall health.
    Johna Burdeos, Health, 8 Oct. 2024
  • His only food for the excursion was beef jerky, salted nuts and iodine tablets to purify water, according to Zollinger.
    Graham Hurley, CNN, 14 Aug. 2024
Adjective
  • The result has been a very smooth trip through a choppy retail landscape.
    Evan Clark, WWD, 19 Nov. 2024
  • At one point in a Zoom interview with Pennsylvania congressperson Madeleine Dean, Williams tried to transition out with a choppy back-and-forth over the best cheesesteak joint.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • My kids were thrilled to be bounced around on this extra bumpy adventure.
    Cynthia J. Drake, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
  • The two hit a bit of a bumpy patch in the pods when Taylor was fearful that her ethnicity would be a problem for Garrett, who admitted to only having dated white women previously.
    Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near herky-jerky

Cite this Entry

“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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