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

The group had a messy 2025: revenue rose as the chains continued to expand, but traffic softened, same-store sales became choppy as consumers dined out less.

From Barron's

The carrier has been unloading planes to save money and cut debt amid choppy demand in the overstupplied market for low-cost flying.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oil futures settled lower in choppy trade after reaching a new 6-month intraday high, with U.S.-Iran nuclear talks due later this week holding back expectations of immediate U.S. military action.

From The Wall Street Journal

December’s drop was marginally softer than the 0.5% retreat in sales expected by economists, and continued a stretch of choppy trade for retailers following a 1.2% rise in November.

From The Wall Street Journal

Broader risk gauges are rising, as well, with the VIX volatility index moving past the 20 point mark, a level generally seen as separating calm markets from choppier ones, in early Thursday trading.

From Barron's

Related Words

• rough
• uneven