choppy

American  

[chop-ee] / ˈtʃɒp i /

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.

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choppy British  

/ ˈtʃɒpɪ /

adjective

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

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Other Word Forms

• choppily adverb
• choppiness noun

Etymology

Origin of choppy

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

Example Sentences

“With strong stock performance in 2025, bank stocks could be choppy into 4Q earnings if outlooks are moderate, even if these are out of caution,” the analysts wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal

But choppy hiring conditions persist, a dynamic that will likely keep the unemployment rate squarely in focus and signals a more muted jobs growth environment this year.

From Barron's

But choppy hiring conditions persist, a dynamic that will likely keep the unemployment rate squarely in focus and signals a more muted jobs growth environment this year.

From Barron's

Also, choppy markets that are swinging wildly may bring the illusion of sector rotations, but those often don’t result in meaningful trends.

From The Wall Street Journal

The economy would improve despite rising unemployment, he said, when plans the government put in place during their first choppy year began to bear fruit.

From BBC

Related Words

• rough
• uneven