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
-
If history provides any clues, the U.S. soybean farmers are in for a rough year.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
This is his first-person account of how a rough start after high school eventually led to a job at The Star and a redemptive moment while on assignment.—
Dominick Williams,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Amelia soon decides that stupid boys (and humans in general) aren't worth keeping around.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
And in practice, the experience is delightfully stupid.—
Luke Winkie,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
After running out of steam with the uneven 1992 sister albums Lucky Town and Human Touch, Springsteen spent most of the decade raising his kids and tentatively circling a reunion with the E Street Band while searching for new directions.—
Ryan Leas,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
-
But also undeniable is the Heat receiving tangible depth from the Plan B trade with Butler, depth that arguably had previously been lacking amid the uneven seasons of Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr., as well as depth compromised by the broken hand of Nikola Jovic.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This strategy worked for him for about 10 years—and then began to bore him silly.—
Art Spiegelman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Props to the people who green-lit Angry Birds to give kids a silly movie about infanticide.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Corrin’s hair was styled with a few choppy wisps by Patrick Wilson to frame their face.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
-
My background is so much in bluegrass, and bluegrass is all about that choppy kind of backbeat thing with the mandolin.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
While tailback isn’t a need, only foolish franchises pass up adding generational talents such as Jeanty.—
Omar Kelly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Evening rush-hour commuters — who thought winter was over — felt foolish after the city was socked with a record-breaking spring snowfall.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This whole exercise of proving the absence of antisemitism as a prerequisite to criticizing Israeli government policy is absurd.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Still, the sexist double standards around pockets have continued to be present in absurd ways.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
9 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 17 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share