1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a sharp, choppy wind coming off the lake
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of choppy
Michael Quirk of the water police told ABC that conditions at the time of the search were choppy, including strong south-westerly winds that approached up to 35 knots.
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David Chiu, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
This mini bob embraces the spirit of a choppier cut, but without the actual bangs and intense layering.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025
Getting her out of Venezuela, where she is considered a fugitive by President Nicolás Maduro, involved disguises, deception, navigating choppy seas and arranging flight options.
—Louis Casiano , Jennifer Griffin , Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Analysts are predicting choppy times ahead for the Danish jeweler.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choppy
Adjective
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The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
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Trying to keep up with tariff news, especially as a consumer who isn't necessarily an expert in economic policy, can feel like dodging sporadic jump scares.—
Adjective
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The Heat’s rough night began with a disastrous start, trailing 36-12 just 10 minutes into the contest.—
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Marty’s face prominently features a scar on his cheekbone and additional scarring under his chin, suggesting a rough life.—
Adjective
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While airline miles are easier to earn than ever, using them well—and maximizing their value—can often feel confusing.—
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Choose decisive steps over a confusing kerfuffle!—
Adjective
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Not even those who, inspired by occasional bouts of yellow fever, had sure access to fleeting moments of lucidity.—
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Today, occasional direct ferries provide a simpler two-hour crossing.—
Adjective
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Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
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The Trojans' uneven season hasn't exactly helped slow rumors either.—
Adjective
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The company says the system aims to tackle persistent challenges in the hospitality industry, including labor shortages, inconsistent drink quality, and long service times.—
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In some cases, CBS News ran images through AI detection tools, which can be inconsistent or inaccurate but can still help flag possibly manipulated content.—
Adjective
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These include electric vehicles with extended driving ranges, large-scale renewable energy storage systems that can balance intermittent solar and wind power, and lightweight, flexible power sources for portable and wearable electronics.—
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Countries also need to work on better connecting intermittent renewables — those which work only when the sun shines or the wind blows — with batteries that can store their energy.—
Adjective
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That means a bumpier road ahead.—
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Inflation progress may stall It's been a bumpy decline down to the Federal Reserve's preferred 2% inflation rate.—
Cite this Entry
“Choppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choppy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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