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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Recent Examples of herky-jerky
His smooth, yet herky-jerky style has had defenses guessing and gasping all season.
—
Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
That’s a bit surprising given his herky-jerky, all-joints-flying-at-you, cross-firing delivery.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
Remember that live design collaboration suffered from maddening lag times and herky-jerky movements just a few short years ago.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
But even if Trump’s tariffs ultimately end up being less harsh than feared, a worry hitting the market is that their herky-jerky rollout may by itself create enough nervousness to get U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would damage the economy.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
What better for the crafty, herky-jerky guard than a big man who can roll, pop and allow Brunson to play off the ball more because of his passing?
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Lamar rapped with intense focus, nailing every bit of elegantly herky-jerky choreography.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2025
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
Judging by what Trump has said so far, and the herky-jerky way peace talks in Saudi Arabia have been rolled out, the president would be satisfied with a ceasefire that contained no guarantees of Ukrainian security should Putin later renege on the deal.
—Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
That’s a bit surprising given his herky-jerky, all-joints-flying-at-you, cross-firing delivery.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
Remember that live design collaboration suffered from maddening lag times and herky-jerky movements just a few short years ago.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
But even if Trump’s tariffs ultimately end up being less harsh than feared, a worry hitting the market is that their herky-jerky rollout may by itself create enough nervousness to get U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would damage the economy.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
What better for the crafty, herky-jerky guard than a big man who can roll, pop and allow Brunson to play off the ball more because of his passing?
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Lamar rapped with intense focus, nailing every bit of elegantly herky-jerky choreography.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2025
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
Judging by what Trump has said so far, and the herky-jerky way peace talks in Saudi Arabia have been rolled out, the president would be satisfied with a ceasefire that contained no guarantees of Ukrainian security should Putin later renege on the deal.
—Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
Adjective
-
The company had a rough second quarter, with automotive revenue falling 16% compared to a year ago — the second straight quarter of lower sales.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Opening originally in the 1990s as Mean Streak, the old rough wooden coaster was given new life in 2018 with its transformation into arguably the greatest roller coaster of all time.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
With a single subwoofer, the frequency response can be uneven because of peaks and dips in certain frequency ranges.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
-
As a result, the effects of the defunding will be uneven.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
At low speeds, the Vanquish is quite agile, but a progressive power band keeps it from being nervous or jerky when laying down the power, with the wheels effectively locked in place at high speeds for added stability.—
Alex Kalogiannis,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
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The roadside glorified for their spotless, oversized bathrooms, mouth-melting barbecue and jerky and endless aisles of snacks and souvenirs are all greater than 50,000 square feet.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Tanner's experience at PepsiCo should prove beneficial as the company navigates choppy waters, Lash said.—
Neil J Kanatt,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
-
The Police Department’s rescue boat sliced across the choppy water toward the Johnstons’ MasterCraft.—
Ethan Wolin
Updated July 4,
Sacbee.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
And given those polled by JD Power rated safety, reliability and trust as key attributes to their ideal robotaxi service, the negative headlines sparked by Tesla's bumpy Austin rollout may not be helping the industry's image, sources told Reuters.—
Nicole Kobie,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
-
The Gila monster's bumpy, beaded skin is usually black and bright pink or orange, which helps to camouflage it in its environment.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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