1
as in messy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes
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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
But the sloppy play was a harbinger of things to come.
—
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 27 Dec. 2024
Advertisement There wasn’t much to complain about except maybe some defensive slippage and a few sloppy stretches in a game with little intrigue.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Leeds United’s sloppy 3-3 away draw against Hull City yesterday was one of those occasions and must serve as a warning against complacency over the rest of their campaign.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Spencer is pissed at Harry’s sloppy work and tells him to take the rest of the afternoon off.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sloppy 
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 27 Dec. 2024
Advertisement There wasn’t much to complain about except maybe some defensive slippage and a few sloppy stretches in a game with little intrigue.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Leeds United’s sloppy 3-3 away draw against Hull City yesterday was one of those occasions and must serve as a warning against complacency over the rest of their campaign.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Spencer is pissed at Harry’s sloppy work and tells him to take the rest of the afternoon off.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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Biology is complex and messy, and often defies easy categorization.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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The couple split in 2023 with the dispute expanding over the following year into a messy and public ordeal.—
Regina Cho,
VIBE.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Republican lawmakers called the chaotic exit one of the darkest moments of Biden's administration.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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Streets pulse with music, laughter, and a packed calendar of events, creating an electric atmosphere that draws both locals and visitors into one joyous and chaotic rhythm.—
Joyce Onuorah,
Essence,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Some 12,000 structures — buildings and cars — have been destroyed so far, and with them many tons of property of all levels of sentimental meaning.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
15 Jan. 2025
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The paintings are far from sentimental keepsakes and instead often tell stories of similar loss and tragedy experienced by others, including the children depicted, who sometimes died young, or went on to live troubled lives.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Dec. 2024
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Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The daughter of Palestinian immigrants to America, Arabella is both confused and demanding.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2025
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Listen to this article Zach LaVine’s teammates are confused.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The sticky oil can be applied directly to the belly and over right side of the abdomen, but holistic health enthusiasts like to soak a piece of cotton or flannel and apply heat for more intense delivery.—
Jessica Ourisman,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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Like other Thai cities, Chiang Rai boasts its fair share of markets and night bazaars, where visitors can browse Thai handicrafts and sample khao soi (a curry noodle soup that’s a northern specialty) and mango sticky rice at their own pace.—
Tanvi Chheda,
AFAR Media,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Since hair is weakest when wet, sleeping in wet hair can cause hair to become dry and brittle, causing split ends, breakage, and fallout.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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Southern California’s status quo is extreme swings between dry and wet, the UCLA researchers noted, but the lack of rainfall since May 2024 was exceptional.—
Angela Fritz,
CNN,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Continue on with Banana Republic’s shaggy knit cardigan, a pair of knee-high boots from Jeffrey Campbell, and finally, H&M’s leopard-print ’90s bag.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2025
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And there's an endearingly shaggy side to this film, all the more shocking given its then-record cost.—
Darren Franich,
EW.com,
7 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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