1
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions
made jerky progress walking with the new crutches
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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But after a rough start, Budenholzer benched Nurkić and removed him from the rotation.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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This strategy worked for him for about 10 years—and then began to bore him silly.—
Art Spiegelman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2025
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Props to the people who green-lit Angry Birds to give kids a silly movie about infanticide.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Corrin’s hair was styled with a few choppy wisps by Patrick Wilson to frame their face.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Still, the sexist double standards around pockets have continued to be present in absurd ways.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Tauruses will go crazy for something chic, functional, and soft to the touch.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2023
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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 23 Apr. 2025.
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