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Synonyms

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.
choppy British  
/ ˈtʃɒpɪ /

adjective

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • choppily adverb
  • choppiness noun

Etymology

Origin of choppy

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

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.

So — no — this reader is not the only one to be rattled, particularly as we are already navigating choppy economic waters.

From MarketWatch

But there could be more choppy trading ahead.

From Barron's

Tuesday’s choppy trading session marked the latest twist for markets that in recent weeks have been almost singularly focused on the price of oil.

From The Wall Street Journal

It's a theme that recurs on subsequent tracks - perhaps suggesting that BTS were wary about dipping their toes back into the choppy waters of fame.

From BBC

Even before Middle East chaos sent it on a roller-coaster ride this month, the stock market was unusually choppy beneath the surface.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.