1
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
made jerky progress walking with the new crutches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
he's acting jerky just to get people's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jerky
Pair with a smorgasbord that includes sharp cheeses, jerky and fresh vegetables—cauliflower and broccoli.
—
Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Since many thefts can be violent or involve sudden, jerky movements, Guo sought ad vice from Google’s Activity Recognition team, which worked on a somewhat similar feature available on Pixel smartphones for car crash detection.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 25 Jan. 2025
The video was mostly crisp, but movement was sometimes a bit jerky, and fast-moving subjects can get blurry.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 3 Jan. 2025
But one role stands out around this time of year: His turn as Cameron Diaz's jerky boyfriend Ethan in The Holiday.
—Gillian Telling, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for jerky
Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Since many thefts can be violent or involve sudden, jerky movements, Guo sought ad vice from Google’s Activity Recognition team, which worked on a somewhat similar feature available on Pixel smartphones for car crash detection.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 25 Jan. 2025
The video was mostly crisp, but movement was sometimes a bit jerky, and fast-moving subjects can get blurry.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 3 Jan. 2025
But one role stands out around this time of year: His turn as Cameron Diaz's jerky boyfriend Ethan in The Holiday.
—Gillian Telling, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for jerky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerky
Adjective
-
His season started on a rough note in Australia, where a late mistake on the wet track sent him sliding off, struggling to recover and tumbling down the order.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Two paratroopers were injured after a rough landing that was caught on video at a baseball game in Arizona.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Friendships built on insecurity, where men constantly have to prove their manhood, are a breeding ground for toxic attitudes and stupid decision-making.—
Terry Ward,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
-
That was the result of a stupid Obama-era rule that claimed a benefit to climate change (the biggest scam ever perpetrated on humanity) by restricting water flow through shower heads and faucets.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But with the addition of meaty tires, the result is bobbling side to side on uneven pavement, and the occasional entertaining hop over water channels at boulevard intersections.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The formula combines powerful but gentle ingredients like tranexamic acid, kojic acid, and niacinamide to tackle dark spots, acne scars, and uneven tone.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But silly things like feelings and mental health don't matter to rebellion leader Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård), who wants results at any cost.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
-
This is one where the visual spectacle and weird fourth-wall-breaking sections stand head and shoulders above everything else, making for an extremely memorable adventure that embraces the silly side of Doctor Who.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Stocks are choppy Tuesday, with all three major indexes struggling to maintain their early gains.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2025
-
All three major indexes closed higher after a choppy day of trading.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The idea of the Nuggets claiming three more games in this series with Michael Porter Jr. scoring three points — on Denver’s first basket, no less — is foolish.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The first three days of the season took care of such foolish rookie thoughts and proved to be a humbling, but learning, experience.—
Thomas Weddle,
Outdoor Life,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Quarterly reports delayed by years would be absurd.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
While that isn't anywhere close to of being traded 10 times, being traded in four straight seasons is quite absurd.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Tauruses will go crazy for something chic, functional, and soft to the touch.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2023
-
Before getting into the chaos of episode 5, that episode 4 cliff hanger was crazy.—
Calie Schepp,
EW.com,
6 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerky. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share