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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sloppy
If for nothing else, Longlegs is memorable due to Cage's looney performance, pale makeup, and his character's sloppy plastic surgeries.
—
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2025
An unusual surge of warm, springlike moisture poured into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday — triggering torrential rains that turned roads into rivers and created a sloppy, wet mess.
—Amy Graff, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Arsenal were uncharacteristically sloppy in defence, and weary after a gruelling January.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
Ekman-Larsson’s sloppy high-sticking penalty in the third led to a go-ahead goal, bringing the grade down a touch.
D3 (Simon Benoit — Philippe Myers): C-
After a strong effort on Thursday, this pair came back to earth on Saturday.
—Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2025
An unusual surge of warm, springlike moisture poured into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday — triggering torrential rains that turned roads into rivers and created a sloppy, wet mess.
—Amy Graff, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Arsenal were uncharacteristically sloppy in defence, and weary after a gruelling January.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
Ekman-Larsson’s sloppy high-sticking penalty in the third led to a go-ahead goal, bringing the grade down a touch.
D3 (Simon Benoit — Philippe Myers): C-
After a strong effort on Thursday, this pair came back to earth on Saturday.
—Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
-
The trail from the bay leading to the preserve’s entrance is rough, rocky and messy.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
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Their wedding episode remains one of the most iconic moments in television history; and that romance can be messy and complicated, but completely worth fighting for.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Tkachuk brothers’ offense generation The Tkachuk brothers are well known for their innate ability to generate chances thanks to their chaotic playstyle and affinity for going to the dirty areas.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
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Critics call them a chaotic attack that will have lasting impacts on America.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Left behind were a portrait of her grandmother, photographs of her family, jewelry, wardrobe and the less sentimental essentials of life, glasses for reading music, tax records, medicine, passports and car.—
Thomas Curwen,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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As a pianist, Jarrett was like the soul brother of Rachmaninoff crossed with a sentimental free-jazz rhapsodist.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Feb. 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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Build your strategy around results Showing up to your laptop without a plan will leave you confused, tired and unsure about the next step.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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For many, the frenetic nature of the firings has left them confused – and even days later – without a full accounting of their termination.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Opting for too many chemicals can leave surfaces sticky in the best of scenarios and create dangerous fumes in the worst of scenarios.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2025
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Finish half the wings with Buffalo sauce and the rest with a sticky ginger-soy glaze.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appétit,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Now that cloud has loudly broken and Ukraine is getting wet.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
19 Feb. 2025
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The weekend’s wet wintry mix resulted in mandatory speed restrictions on the Mass Pike and led to hundreds of crashes, according to MassDOT, and weather forecasters say there may be more snow coming in the days ahead.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Welles, a singer-songwriter with a shaggy, dirty-blond mane and a sandpapery voice, has risen to recent prominence posting videos to social media of himself alone in the woods near his home in northwest Arkansas, performing wryly funny, politically engaged folk songs.—
David Peisner,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2025
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Average retail prices range from $215 to $495 for the line, which includes vibrant jackets with circular-type sleeves, miniskirts and a shaggy wool coat.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
WWD,
10 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to sloppy
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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