as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a jury-rigged system for supplying the town's water while the main pumping station is being repaired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in patched (together)
to make or assemble roughly or hastily
we jury-rigged shelves out of cartons and crates until we could afford real furniture
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of jury-rigged
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
The trade between the periphery and the core was jury-rigged to favor the latter.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jury-rigged
Adjective
-
Our hands soon became insensitive, clumsy hooks.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The production is a revival of the disappointingly fussy, clumsy, old-fashioned one by Lee Blakeley the company unveiled in 2013 for Conlon and to celebrate the Verdi bicentennial.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Junior starter Colin Jack settled in after a rough third inning to pitch a complete game for Batavia (9-9-1, 5-3).—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
It's garnered a reputation for rough conditions for people in custody and guards alike over its history.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Meeting a partner’s family can be challenging in any circumstance; anxieties about a family member saying something rude or belittling can only compound that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Ohm, well played by Scott who can wither with you with a look, is the classic ugly American and is rude to everyone at the hotel, but those putdowns and cruelty hides his self loathing.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Nuggets are fundamentally flawed.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
-
DeSantis said the 2020 census was flawed and undercounted people in the state.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The team was aggressive, if imperfect, on the bases, the former of which Tracy hopes becomes a staple of this very club.—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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But experts have warned that these problems are an imperfect benchmark of artificial intelligence’s mathematical prowess.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jury-rigged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jury-rigged. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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