sloppy

[ slop-ee ]

adjective

, slop·pi·er, slop·pi·est.

1. muddy, slushy, or very wet:

   The field was a sloppy mess after the rain.

2. splashed or soiled with liquid.

   Synonyms: messy

3. careless; loose:

   sloppy writing.

   Synonyms: slipshod

4. untidy; slovenly:

   sloppy clothes; a sloppy eater.

   Synonyms: slatternly, messy

5. overly emotional; gushy:

   sloppy sentimentality.

6. (of food or drink) prepared or served in an unappetizing way.
7. (of clothes) loose-fitting; baggy:

   a big, sloppy sweater.

8. (of the surface of a racetrack) wet from a recent or continuing heavy rain and containing puddles and mud still too thin and watery to be sticky.

sloppy

/ ˈslɒpɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of ground conditions, etc) wet; slushy
2. informal.
   careless; untidy
3. informal.
   mawkishly sentimental
4. (of food or drink) watery and unappetizing
5. splashed with slops
6. (of clothes) loose; baggy

Derived Forms

• ˈsloppily, adverb
• ˈsloppiness, noun

Other Words From

• sloppi·ly adverb
• sloppi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sloppy¹

First recorded in 1700–10; slop ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“That was a little bit of sloppy fact-checking on the part of my team on the documentary,” Stewart said.

From Salon

England can celebrate the series win but West Indies will know that but for some sloppy fielding, they might be right back in it.

From BBC

The alleged assassins behind several recent murder-for-hire cases in Los Angeles were sloppy, authorities say, leaving behind a trail of evidence that links the killings to Chicago gang disputes.

From Los Angeles Times

Their defense faltered, their offense was sloppy and their only salvation on the way to a 41-30 halftime deficit was Bilodeau’s nine points and seven rebounds.

From Los Angeles Times

The state’s Republican Senator Ron Johnson accused election workers of being “sloppy”.

From BBC

Related Words

• awkward
• careless
• clumsy
• dirty
• mediocre
• muddy
• poor
• wet