herky-jerky

adjective

ˈhər-kē-ˈjər-kē How to pronounce herky-jerky (audio)
Definition of herky-jerkynext
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions filmed in a herky-jerky style that will give many moviegoers a headache

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 herky-jerky The way that life unfolds in herky-jerky, unpredictable rhythms informs the experimental approach that Dijon, a 33-year-old producer-singer, takes to R&B. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025 If the segues in Scene don’t feel haphazard and herky-jerky, this is in no small part because of the role addiction plays as connective tissue between sections, a kind of leitmotif. — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 In a throwback to the warts-and-all silliness of the family’s legendary MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Coming Home appears to lean into the domestic comedy of the Osbourne clan, opening with a jittery Ozzy begging Sharon to stop driving in a herky-jerky manner. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025 The lineup of dishes and sauces and combos verges on overwhelming; they’re presented in a mix of typefaces and colors, and punctuated by herky-jerky photo animations—a waving hand holding a soft-serve twist, spidery fingers with brass nail extensions used in the traditional Thai dance Fawn Leb. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for herky-jerky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herky-jerky
  1. rough
  2. uneven
  3. jerky
  4. choppy
  5. bumpy
Adjective
  • Convincing a parent to get hearing aids can be a rough experience.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The journey back to the river camp was an arduous three-mile hike over rough terrain.
    — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • That is an unusually light amount of in-game preparation for a second-year quarterback learning a new offense, especially since Dart and the offense have had an uneven summer at best.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Together, these findings pointed to uneven conditions beneath the road.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneven
Adjective
  • That is always tricky, but Ojai was especially jerky.
    — Rakesh Agrawal, PC Magazine, 28 June 2026
  • What began as an effort by namesake founder Jack Link to turn his great-grandfather’s jerky recipe into a livelihood has grown into a global business selling products in more than 55 countries.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 31 May 2026
Definition of jerky
Adjective
  • No French presidential election campaign this century has taken place in such choppy waters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Not to mention, Cook was a supply-chain master with an ability to deftly navigate the often choppy political waters.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of choppy
Adjective
  • There’s a lot of panic right now about the bumpy intersection of artificial intelligence and art-making.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Under its skin, tattoos is a tale of growth, the bumpy path into adulthood, and relationships that come and go.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of bumpy

Browse Nearby Words

heritages
herky-jerky
hermetic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herky-jerky. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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