Meaning & use
slipshod
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Meaning
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Done in a hurried, careless way, with little attention to getting the details right.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: slipshod work, or the work was slipshod.
Patterns
- slipshod work
- slipshod about something
The inspector criticized the slipshod repairs on the bridge.
Her slipshod research was full of errors and missing sources.
He ran the shop in a slipshod way, forgetting orders and losing receipts.
Word forms
| comparative | more slipshod |
|---|---|
| superlative | most slipshod |
Common combinations
- slipshod work
- The builder was sued for slipshod work on the roof.
- slipshod manner
- They handled the paperwork in a slipshod manner.
- slipshod repairs
- Slipshod repairs made the problem worse.
- slipshod standards
- Slipshod standards at the factory led to a recall.
- slipshod journalism
- The newspaper apologized for its slipshod journalism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sloppy
- Sloppy is more informal and can describe untidy habits or appearance, while slipshod mainly describes poorly done work.
- careless
- Careless is a plain, general word, whereas slipshod suggests a lack of effort that shows in the finished result.
- shoddy
- Shoddy describes things of poor quality, especially goods, whereas slipshod puts the blame on the careless way something was done.
- haphazard
- Haphazard means without any plan, while slipshod means done with too little care even when there is a plan.
Opposites
Word family
- slipshodly adverb
- in a careless, hurried way
- slipshodness noun
- the quality of being careless in work
- shod adjective
- wearing shoes, the source of the second half of the word
Commonly confused: slipshod or shoddy?
slipshod vs shoddy
Shoddy usually describes poorly made goods, while slipshod describes careless work or methods.
Practice
The editor refused to publish the article because the facts had been checked in such a ___ way.
Choose one answer.
Slipshod means careless, which explains the refusal. Thorough, meticulous, and rigorous all describe careful work and would not lead to rejection.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slipshod”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.