1
as in messy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
Across the pitch, Newcastle were sloppy and disjointed.
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George Caulkin, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
This team isn’t talented enough to beat the Ravens with errors and sloppy operation.
—Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Shares of Target have tumbled about 35% in the last year, as its own merchandising issues, a sloppier store experience and boycotts over its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs all weigh on its business.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
Skin-tight is out, baggy is in, and these buttery-soft pieces prove that comfort doesn’t have to equal sloppy.
—Katie Ann Lehman, StyleCaster, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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Adding a dust ruffle around the base of your bed can make this spot even better for keeping messy items hidden.—
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Art Supplies Art supplies will get messy fast if those tubes and bottles leak or burst.—
Adjective
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Paul’s chaotic yet candid nature quickly uplifted her to reality TV icon status, so much so that ABC named her their next star of The Bachelorette.—
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Dispatch recordings from firefighters who were first on the scene at Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday reveal a chaotic and fast-moving fire that left crews scrambling to find water and to contain the spreading flames.—
Adjective
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That verisimilitude functioned as a solvent, lending credibility and urgency to elements of the show that might otherwise register as pure cheese; the medical realism and sentimental flourishes were mutually reinforcing.—
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Kitsch without meaning is just clutter, so take your time building a look that feels sentimental and nostalgic to really nail the style.—
Adjective
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To Washington, a beard made a man look unkempt and slovenly, masking the higher emotions that civility required.—
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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.—
Adjective
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Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
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Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Adjective
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Cramer said strong signs from forwarding holiday spending suggest inflation may remain sticky, setting up tension between a president eager to contain prices and consumers who have borne the brunt of inflation.—
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To keep a tension rod from slipping, look for rods that have rubber stoppers on the ends or that come with sticky wall brackets.—
Adjective
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Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.—
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In other words, Cunha’s job is to convince the Americans now running the federal government to give Brown’s motley crew of gender-benders, anti-Semites and filthy-rich legacies a good leaving alone.—
Adjective
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Hydroplaning is when a vehicle starts uncontrollably sliding on wet roads.—
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While its calf-skimming height is great for tucking in leggings and pants (therefore keeping hems dry in wet winter weather), its slim silhouette also fits seamlessly under wide-leg jeans and relaxed pants.—
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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