adjective
jerky
JUR-kee/ˈdʒɜːrki/
Moving with sudden starts and stops.
The stroller's jerky movement jolts the handle as a wheel catches on the cobblestones.
Etymology
Jerk first named a stroke of a whip, then a sudden sharp pull or twist. With the adjective ending, jerky describes motion broken into abrupt movements; its earliest recorded use concerned the pulse.
In context
She was dancing and singing and it was really jerky.
fleeting and jerky movements talking with your hands
More examples
- The bus makes a jerky start when the light turns green.
- He relaxes his grip, and his movements become less jerky.
- The dancer practices until her jerky turns become smooth.
Forms
jerky · jerkier · jerkiest
jerk noun — A sudden, sharp movement or pull.
jerkily adverb — With sudden, uneven starts and stops.
Similar words
- choppy
- Emphasizes uneven movement broken into short, disconnected segments.
- spasmodic
- Emphasizes involuntary bursts of movement rather than steady motion.