1
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

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 The mayor of television has advice on how to survive these choppy industry waters: Never stop learning. Michael Schneider, Variety, 9 May 2025 Over in India, the benchmark Nifty 50 fell 0.29% while the BSE Sensex moved down 0.22% in choppy trade as at 1.42 p.m. Indian Standard Time. Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 5 May 2025 In small spaces, there is power in continuity and using contrasting colors on walls and trim can create a choppy look and disrupt continuity. Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025 Trump, who in part campaigned on a goal of brokering peace between the warring nations, has had a choppy relationship with Zelenskyy and said last month the U.S. could walk away from negotiations if progress is not made. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, those days are more sporadic and like Hernandez, resembles little to the player who dragged Milan over the line three years ago to steal an unlikely league title.
    Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Those moments have grown more sporadic in recent months, with Watkins no longer looked to as Villa’s key source of goals.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • That gave me my confidence back after a pretty rough departure from NBC.
    Angela Andaloro, People.com, 22 May 2025
  • The 200 square miles of surrounding coral reefs proved rough for mariners, but divers now reap the benefits with some 300 shipwrecks to explore, from the 192-foot American schooner Constellation that sank during World War II to the Mary Celestia, a Civil War era paddle-wheeler.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • The only thing that could get between attendees and their snacks was the occasional free beer or run-in with a mascot.
    Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
  • The audience is present in a politely distant but receptive way with shots from the back of their heads and an occasional darkened full-theater shot.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Bread crumbs • Props to the hair, makeup, and costuming departments for differentiating Kiki’s Simone from pre-Michaela Simone, who showed up to the island with a scraggly ponytail, a gray button-down, uneven skin, and scrawled tattoos.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 May 2025
  • Just a couple of weeks after showing up at the Met Gala in a shockingly short hairstyle, Kidman is serving up a saturated, asymmetrical bob with uneven baby bangs and a stick-straight, choppy look brought to fruition by hairstylist Evanie Frausto.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Frustrated by long 311 hold times or inconsistent trash pickup?
    Melanie La Rocca, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
  • This is at odds with the concept of getting the most out of every customer deal by wielding inconsistent discounts and surcharges when certain situations arise.
    Chris Mele, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • Residents lack running water, use 5-gallon buckets as toilets and must contend with intermittent electricity and deteriorating homes that expose them to the region’s fierce weather.
    Emily Schwing, ProPublica, 29 May 2025
  • Holmgren had to take intermittent breaks from the sport because of growing pains.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • If that wasn’t enough, the final day of the 78th edition of the French Riviera showcase got off to a bumpy start, too, with a mass power outage across the region, which brought almost everything to a halt.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 24 May 2025
  • Everyone agrees, though, that his professional career got off to a bumpy start.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • The New York Mets scored three runs in the seventh to snap a 1-1 tie en route to a 5-1 win over the Red Sox on a frustrating night.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Both English teams have been experiencing frustrating, parallel worlds as the pair have struggled mightily in the Premier League.
    David Close, CNN Money, 22 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on choppy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!