choppy

[chop-ee]

adjective

choppier, choppiest 

1. (of the sea, a lake, etc.) forming short, irregular, broken waves.

2. (of the wind) shifting or changing suddenly or irregularly; variable.

3. uneven in style or quality or characterized by poorly related parts.

   The book was a choppy first novel.

choppy

/ ˈtʃɒpɪ /

adjective

1. (of the sea, weather, etc) fairly rough

Other Word Forms

• choppily adverb
• choppiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of choppy¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; chop ² + -y ¹

Example Sentences

He spread his wings, lifted up on the breeze, and anxiously looked at the choppy surf ahead.

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“We see a choppy 3Q print,” Cantor analyst Carter Gould wrote early this month.

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But things got choppy when Chair Powell’s news conferences began about a half-hour later.

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But a choppy road lies ahead for investors.

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Sosnick said that if the choppy market scared investors, it might be time for them to re-evaluate how they approach their portfolios.

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Related Words

• rough 
• uneven