sloppily

Sloppily is an adverb describing the manner in which an action is performed, typically implying carelessness, untidiness, or a lack of precision. It often signals a negative assessment of quality, though in some contexts it can be used humorously or descriptively without strong judgment.

Common usages involve actions or processes rather than physical objects. For example, one might say, "he wrote sloppily," "the report was sloppily assembled," or "the painter applied the coating sloppily." The degree of criticism conveyed by sloppily depends on context, tone, and the nature of the task.

Etymology and form: sloppily is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective sloppy. The adjective sloppy has long been used to describe things that are untidy or careless; the corresponding adverb emerged through the standard pattern of turning adjectives into adverbs in English. The sense remains largely consistent: it denotes performance marked by laxness or negligence.

Related terms:

- sloppy

- sloppiness

- carelessness

- carelessly

- shoddy

- untidy

Notes for usage: while sloppily often carries a negative connotation, it can describe objective observations in some contexts (such as a factual description of a process) without implying moral judgment. In evaluative writing, choose sloppily when you want to emphasize lack of care or precision in the action itself.