1
as in messy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
dumped the papers in a sloppy pile on the desk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a cinematic romance with a sloppy musical score that will have audiences reaching for their handkerchiefs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
Some of it is good, but a lot of it is sloppy, outdated or full of vulnerabilities.
—
Jimmie Lee, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Hein was sloppy, lazy and showed a lack of impartiality in dealing with him, Hicks said in his filing.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Fresh off a sloppy loss and a sub-.500 month, the Yankees continued to play below their standards on Tuesday, falling, 12-5, as the Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day at Rogers Centre.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025
The candy bar has just been consumed by a sloppy — fatally sloppy — technician at a secret laboratory compound.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Jimmie Lee, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Hein was sloppy, lazy and showed a lack of impartiality in dealing with him, Hicks said in his filing.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Fresh off a sloppy loss and a sub-.500 month, the Yankees continued to play below their standards on Tuesday, falling, 12-5, as the Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day at Rogers Centre.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025
The candy bar has just been consumed by a sloppy — fatally sloppy — technician at a secret laboratory compound.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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The White House and Kemp have aimed to avoid a messy primary and have engaged with each other on the best approaches.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
4 Aug. 2025
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The pair dominated the tabloids, especially during their messy 1994 divorce.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His lifestyle became chaotic and dangerous, riddled with violence and crime.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
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Things got a little chaotic and dangerous when a rogue wheel momentarily became the star of a monster truck show.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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Bottom line: If the fabric is fussy, valuable, or sentimental, let the experts handle it.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
28 July 2025
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Romance feels more sentimental now, and even platonic relationships take on a more nurturing tone.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
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Related Stories The movie O’Neil has put together out of this footage, which premiered last night at Cannes, is by any real-world standard a slovenly and undisciplined piece of work.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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The moment of truth arrived when Adams FaceTimed Phillips— initially confused and skeptical about her whereabouts.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
25 July 2025
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Ferguson said teammates are more confused than upset.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The underside of the stones is bonded to the sticky asphalt cement.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
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The motivation behind the trend is understandable—no one wants sticky detergent dripping all over their hands or laundry room.—
Kendall Bettle,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The teams and drivers will face tough decisions about whether to use intermediate or wet tires for the start of the race.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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The Humane Society suggests serving cats wet food over the summer to further increase their hydration.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The researchers found that climate shifts that underwrote the spread of grasslands allowed big sloths to arise, the shaggy mammals then altering those habitats to maintain open spaces best suited to big bodies capable of moving long distances.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
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The Saja Boys are memorable creations of their own, an over-the-top collection of shaggy haircuts, dewy faces, and bright streetwear that instantly invokes the heartthrobs of BTS or Stray Kids.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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