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sloppy

sloppy

155 2.0
Untidy and done without care
  • adjective
  • /ˈslɑːpi/
translation icon : descuidado
  • After the party, the living room looked sloppy with empty bottles and messy snacks everywhere.
  • sloppy work
  • sloppy journalism
  • sloppy reporting

When I was in the ROTC, let me tell you, we were sloppy, right?

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Examples

  • Nor does it imply that there are no instances of sloppy management or uncompetitive sectors.

    Academic text (1994)
  • His room was so sloppy that I couldn't even see the floor.

  • Oh, sorry for the sloppy job, but you get the idea.

  • Things have gotten a little too sloppy around here.

  • I hate when it's like all sloppy outside and the ground's all gross.

  • - Your technique, it's sloppy.

  • You know I work very hard around here trying to keep up with you and all your sloppy habits.

  • This mess was sloppy, unprofessional.

  • Everyone was tired and played in a sloppy rhythm of errant throws and dropped passes.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I could sense his inventor's mind marking my sloppy course as I wove down the path.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

messy
vssloppy
233 1.0

Not tidy or clean, with things in the wrong place

emphasizes careless work or loose fit rather than only neatness
baggy
vssloppy
38 1.0

Loose clothing that does not fit close to the body

is wider, also covering untidiness or careless making beyond loose fit
disorganized
vssloppy
  • US
38 3.1

Not in a clear order or plan

is used when the issue is careless doing or clothes that do not fit
shoddy
vssloppy
30 4.5

Not made well and likely to break or stop working

adds idea of being untidy in appearance or not fitting closely
haphazard
vssloppy
16 7.2

No clear order or plan and often messy

often implies lazy or careless execution and sometimes poor clothing fit
unkempt
vssloppy
13 5.1

Not neat in appearance, often with messy hair or clothes

also applies to careless actions or poorly fitting items beyond appearance
raggedy
vssloppy
  • Informal
12 4.0

Something that looks worn, torn, and messy

focuses more on careless making or poor fit rather than old wear
untidy
vssloppy
11 1.0

Not neat, with things like papers or clothes left around

focuses more on being carelessly done or not fitting closely
in a mess
vssloppy
9 1.6

Something that is untidy and not in order

is used more for careless action or ill fitting items than state
disordered
vssloppy
7 4.5

Not arranged in a clear or tidy way

emphasizes careless doing or loose fit rather than mere lack of order
slipshod
vssloppy
5 8.1

Made carelessly and without attention to detail

adds idea of untidy appearance or loose fit rather than only carelessness
disorderly
vssloppy
4 4.5

A place or thing that is untidy and not in order

focuses more on careless making or ill fit rather than simple chaos
loose-fitting
vssloppy
4 2.6

Not tight on the body so clothes hang away from you

is broader, applying to careless work or not neat appearance as well
slapdash
vssloppy
3 7.5

Made quickly without care

often adds an untidy appearance or poor fit not implied by mere haste
slobby
vssloppy
  • Informal
1 7.4

Messy and untidy in how a person or place looks

also refers to careless action or clothes that do not fit closely
jumbled
vssloppy
3.8

Mixed together in a confused and untidy way

contrasts by including careless production or loose fit beyond mere mixing
scrambly
vssloppy
7.6

Messy and jumbled so people cannot understand it

often adds idea of careless making or poor fit not only mess
matty
vssloppy
8.2

Having hair or fabric that is messy and stuck together in clumps

is broader, covering careless work or loose fitting clothing as well
daggy
vssloppy
  • Australian
9.9

Shaggy and dirty, with clumps of dried mud or hair stuck to it

is broader, including careless production or loose clothing, not only grime
disty
vssloppy
  • Slang
9.9

Dirty and messy, with things in the wrong places

is neutral in tone describing careless making or loose fit more generally
botchy
vssloppy
  • Informal
8.4

Made in a clumsy way and not of good quality

can also mean a careless look or loosely fitting clothes instead

Antonyms

47 1.0

Having things in order with no mess

8 6.0

Clothing that fits close to the body and shows its shape

Compounds

6 3.0

A sandwich with ground beef cooked in a spicy tomato sauce on a bun

How Messy

slovenly
5 6.9
sloppy
155 2.0
messy
233 1.0
tidy
47 1.0
neat
144 1.0

Surface Forms

sloppy positive
sloppier comparative
sloppiest superlative

Morphology

sloppy = slop (transparent) = slop + y

The adjective is directly formed from 'slop' + '-y', meaning characterized by or covered in slop, which clearly yields 'untidy' or 'messy'.

Etymology

The word sloppy comes from the simple word slop, which means a messy liquid or a spill, plus -y meaning 'full of'. So if something is sloppy it is 'full of' mess — untidy or done in a careless way.