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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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
Enzo Fernandez was the only surprising non-starter, and the result of Maresca’s strong selection was a Chelsea performance that was both serious and sloppy.
—
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Driving Challenges tackle rock gardens, blind drop-offs, and water crossings where sloppy throttle work comes at a cost.
—Shelby Knick, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Thus far, the Wind Down delivers with its clean lines, deep cushions, and just-right balance of softness and structure that is far from sloppy—even with her young child is known to practice high dives and a somersaults or two.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2025
Photo of the day: The Bayou Bengals celebrate in Omaha
After winning a mesmerizing pitching duel in Saturday night’s College World Series opener, LSU took advantage of Coastal Carolina’s sloppy start and won, 5-3, on Sunday, to capture the eighth national championship in program history.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Driving Challenges tackle rock gardens, blind drop-offs, and water crossings where sloppy throttle work comes at a cost.
—Shelby Knick, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Thus far, the Wind Down delivers with its clean lines, deep cushions, and just-right balance of softness and structure that is far from sloppy—even with her young child is known to practice high dives and a somersaults or two.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2025
Photo of the day: The Bayou Bengals celebrate in Omaha
After winning a mesmerizing pitching duel in Saturday night’s College World Series opener, LSU took advantage of Coastal Carolina’s sloppy start and won, 5-3, on Sunday, to capture the eighth national championship in program history.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloppy
Adjective
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The dramatic beats of Jessica and Felix’s messy courtship land effectively, and Stalter and Sharpe have strong chemistry.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 July 2025
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Food and Water Bowls This dishwasher safe food and water bowl set comes with a detachable, non-slip silicone mat for messy eaters.—
Kelsey Monstrola,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The enforcement sparked a chaotic scene at the cannabis farms, the USA TODAY Network in California reported.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
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In 1945, a rare Stradivarius violin was stolen from a Berlin bank during the chaotic end of World War II.—
Asia London Palomba,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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The funny thing is, by all accounts, Zaslav is also genuinely sentimental about the network and said to even have it on at his office quite often.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
9 July 2025
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The luxury label’s classic products—often resold or passed down through generations—gain sentimental and financial value over time, per the report.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
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Related Stories The movie O’Neil has put together out of this footage, which premiered last night at Cannes, is by any real-world standard a slovenly and undisciplined piece of work.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Everyone was very confused about whether the watch’s band could be resized because only one kind of wrist was shown in the commercial.—
Seth Reiss,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
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The home appeared on Zillow Gone Wild, a Facebook page that highlights unique houses on the real estate market, and people were a little confused about the interior style.—
TJ Macias
July 10,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Michigan State University provides instructions on creating traps for SWD by poking tiny holes into plastic containers and filling them with apple cider vinegar to lure the insects in, and placing a sticky card inside to capture them.—
Sophia Valchine,
Freep.com,
9 July 2025
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But negotiations typically address work conditions and other issues besides compensation and this year’s talks were expected to include one particularly sticky point.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Stay away from water, wet items, and metal objects.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
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The cyclist momentarily lost control of his motorcycle on wet pavement.—
Jon Rabiroff,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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The researchers found that climate shifts that underwrote the spread of grasslands allowed big sloths to arise, the shaggy mammals then altering those habitats to maintain open spaces best suited to big bodies capable of moving long distances.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
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The Saja Boys are memorable creations of their own, an over-the-top collection of shaggy haircuts, dewy faces, and bright streetwear that instantly invokes the heartthrobs of BTS or Stray Kids.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sloppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloppy. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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