sloppy

adjective

slop·​py ˈslä-pē 

sloppier; sloppiest

1

a

: wet so as to spatter easily : slushy

a sloppy racetrack

b

: wet or smeared with or as if with something slopped over

2

: slovenly, careless

a sloppy dresser

did sloppy work

3

: disagreeably effusive

sloppy sentimentalism

sloppily

ˈslä-pə-lē 

adverb

sloppiness noun

Synonyms

• blowsy
• blowzy
• dowdy
• frowsy
• frowzy
• slobbish
• slobby
• sloven
• slovenly
• unkempt
• untidy

Examples of sloppy in a Sentence

Your work has been very sloppy lately.

a sloppy child who always seems to have spilled something on his clothes

Recent Examples on the Web

The fabric is breathable and lightweight without feeling thin or flimsy and the fit is slightly oversized, which gives it a relaxed and casual look that isn’t sloppy. —Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 27 Jan. 2025

In the week leading up to Donald Trump’s inauguration, a brief but sloppy food fight broke out between the Trump team and the outgoing Biden administration over who deserves credit for finalizing a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip. —Noah Rothman, National Review, 24 Jan. 2025

Poor giveaways and sloppy play affected the second half, but Clark and Ageymang put the game on ice. —Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025

The word out of Arizona is that Kingsbury’s Cardinals teams were too often sloppy and undisciplined and that his full-team leadership skills and oversight have been lacking. —Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sloppy

• sloppy joe

Kids Definition

sloppy

adjective

slop·​py ˈsläp-ē 

sloppier; sloppiest

1

a

: wet so as to spatter easily : slushy

b

: wet with or as if with something slopped over

2

: slovenly, careless

a sloppy dresser

3

: overly sentimental

sloppily

ˈsläp-ə-lē 

adverb

sloppiness

ˈsläp-ē-nəs

noun