as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a jerry-rigged switch to keep the machine in operation until it can be repaired
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Recent Examples of jerry-rigged
A lot of what can and should be built are bespoke products in their own right that would otherwise have been jerry-rigged from external companies.
—
Naveen Zutshi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Lenovo's software has also matured, so switching between games feels more like playing a game console and less like a laptop jerry-rigged into a handheld.
—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
This repurposing reflects how biological evolution is jerry-rigged, making use of what’s available.
—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
Ali Al-Ahmed, a dissident Saudi scholar who kept in touch with Sahar, sent me a photograph of an apparatus that the sisters had jerry-rigged to distill fresh water from the sea, and one of a copper hook for catching fish and crabs.
—
Heidi Blake,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Naveen Zutshi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Lenovo's software has also matured, so switching between games feels more like playing a game console and less like a laptop jerry-rigged into a handheld.
—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
This repurposing reflects how biological evolution is jerry-rigged, making use of what’s available.
—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
Ali Al-Ahmed, a dissident Saudi scholar who kept in touch with Sahar, sent me a photograph of an apparatus that the sisters had jerry-rigged to distill fresh water from the sea, and one of a copper hook for catching fish and crabs.
—
Heidi Blake,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerry-rigged
Adjective
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Such a feature would neatly get around the need for clumsy remote control sessions to interact with AI agents running on a distant Mac.
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The head coach was clumsy in his response, saying — in effect — that the player is better suited to being an impact substitute and taking advantage of tiring opposition defenders.
Adjective
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Mariana is not pleased to hear this, and he's got some rough-looking dudes with him.
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Dual suspension helps smooth rough trails, hydraulic disc brakes provide dependable stopping power in changing conditions, and four-inch fat tires improve traction across gravel, dirt, sand, and pavement.
Adjective
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Due Amici brings Brooklyn roots and authenticity, right down to the counter service that’s not rude but not exactly warm.
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It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.
Adjective
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Instead of doubling down on a flawed system, policymakers can make gradual changes by introducing new tax categories in the existing framework and imposing taxes that correspond to the alcoholic content of that category.
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The company says the claims contain flawed conclusions and rejects the characterization of the technology as a botnet.
Cite this Entry
“Jerry-rigged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerry-rigged. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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