herky-jerky

adjective

ˈhər-kē-ˈjər-kē How to pronounce herky-jerky (audio)
Synonyms of herky-jerkynext
: characterized by sudden, irregular, or unpredictable movement or style
a film criticized for its herky-jerky editing

Synonyms of herky-jerky

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Examples of herky-jerky in a Sentence

filmed in a herky-jerky style that will give many moviegoers a headache
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The music has gotten deeper and sweeter; jokey gambits and herky-jerky sounds have fallen away, replaced by a rapturous fusion of deep house and ambient. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 2 Feb. 2026 If the segues in Scene don’t feel haphazard and herky-jerky, this is in no small part because of the role addiction plays as connective tissue between sections, a kind of leitmotif. — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky, particularly for players such as Dončić, whose games rely on herky-jerky changes of speed and direction. — Law Murray, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026 The way that life unfolds in herky-jerky, unpredictable rhythms informs the experimental approach that Dijon, a 33-year-old producer-singer, takes to R&B. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for herky-jerky

Word History

Etymology

reduplication of jerky

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of herky-jerky was in 1890

Rhymes for herky-jerky

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Browse Nearby Words

Herkimer
herky-jerky
herl
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Cite this Entry

“Herky-jerky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herky-jerky. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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