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
The video was choppy at times during the live demonstration.
—
Tripp Mickle, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Together, the two retailers will have to wade the choppy waters of new tariffs on imports, including footwear.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 15 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Tripp Mickle, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Together, the two retailers will have to wade the choppy waters of new tariffs on imports, including footwear.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 15 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
-
Though the May 31 eruption is the only one caught on official video, the USGS has received several reports of other sporadic eruptions over the past year.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
1 June 2025
-
My spring crops were slow to develop this year, stifled by sporadic frosts and bouts of dry weather.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
More Getty Images Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had a rough week.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
-
Everyone plodded along, trying desperately to avoid rough that hasn’t been cut and greens that never seem to lose their speed.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
The key is consistency – creating regular opportunities to develop listening muscles through practice rather than relegating Deep Listening to occasional workshops or retreats.—
Marybeth Gasman,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Because geniuses tend not to specialize in things like picking up after themselves, the human price is often paid by a long-suffering partner-secretary—wifely figures like Véra Nabokov, Sophia Tolstoy, and Alice B. Toklas, or the occasional husband like Leonard Woolf.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
Avoid wobbly or uneven fittings to keep everything centered.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
-
That means Juno’s radio transmissions will experience the Doppler effect, where the wavelength shifts slightly in response to Io’s uneven gravitational field.—
Robin Andrews,
Wired News,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Royals’ offense has been inconsistent this season.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
-
Without clear boundaries, AI agents may act in ways that are inconsistent with business rules, brand voice or regulatory requirements.—
Alan Ranger,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
After intermittent closures last week, the intersection opened and the new signal system turned on Thursday.—
Kathryn Kovalenko,
Twin Cities,
6 June 2025
-
While the tech industry is also using solar and wind power, their intermittent nature means stable electricity supplies generated by nuclear reactors — but also coal and natural gas — is in high demand.—
Bloomberg News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
When inputs are solid, the outcomes tend to follow—even if the path is occasionally bumpy.—
Andrew Rosen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
-
Things could go smoothly or the road might be bumpy.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
This year’s mayoral race has so far been a strange, frustrating exercise.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
-
However, managing their ripeness can be a frustrating endeavor.—
Maryal Miller Carter,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share