choppy
Americanadjective
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(of the sea, a lake, etc.) forming short, irregular, broken waves.
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(of the wind) shifting or changing suddenly or irregularly; variable.
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uneven in style or quality or characterized by poorly related parts.
The book was a choppy first novel.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of choppy
Explanation
When water is choppy, it's wind-blown and rippling with waves. It's tricky for a beginner to sail in a choppy lake. Choppy usually describes what happens to the surface of a body of water during a storm. Strong wind blowing across a bay, for example, turns the water choppy and rough. Something with a jerky, abrupt way of moving or flowing is also choppy, whether it's a piece of music or a filmed scene in a movie. In the 1600s, a stormy sea was described as chopping, which had changed to choppy by about 1830.
Vocabulary lists containing choppy
Rick
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Kareem Between
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Markets are still sensitive to the back-and-forth in the Middle East, so expect more choppy trading days ahead.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
Without the star point guard, the Lakers could confidently turn to James to steer them through choppy waters.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026
The movie is well-written but haphazardly made, with some choppy editing and a soundtrack of Cheech & Chong original songs that frequently drown out the dialogue to the point of irritation.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026
Stocks edged higher in choppy trading, led by the Nasdaq composite, as investors remain hopeful about a Mideast conflict resolution.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
As the skiff motored from the bay, the fading whine of the engine floated out across the choppy waters.
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
