spotty

adjective

spot·​ty ˈspä-tē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
spottier; spottiest
Synonyms of spottynext
1
: marked with spots : spotted
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also : irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
spottily
ˈspä-tə-lē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
adverb
spottiness
ˈspä-tē-nəs How to pronounce spotty (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of spotty in a Sentence

Her work has been spotty. The service at that restaurant is a little spotty. students with spotty attendance records
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.
But now, with US vaccination rates slipping, herd immunity becoming spotty, cases rising by the day, and outbreaks simmering in multiple states, the US is no longer different from far-off places that struggle with the extremely infectious virus. — Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025 Slow speeds and spotty coverage can make streaming, gaming, and video calls a headache, but Amazon’s Eero mesh Wi-Fi systems help keep things running smoothly. — Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025 Lefty Joey Cantillo, who gained valuable MLB experience last year with Cleveland, is hoping to build on his spotty rookie season. — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 Sports Listen to this article 1 of 24 Originally Published: February 15, 2025 at 12:39 AM EST Most Popular Most Popular Federal agents are rounding up migrants in Florida, but specifics are spotty. — Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spotty

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spotty was in the 14th century

Rhymes for spotty

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Browse Nearby Words

spotty
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Cite this Entry

“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

spotty

adjective
spot·​ty ˈspät-ē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
spottier; spottiest
1
: having spots
2
: not always the same especially in quality
your work has been spotty
spottily
ˈspät-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
adverb
spottiness
ˈspät-ē-nəs How to pronounce spotty (audio)
noun

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Nglish: Translation of spotty for Spanish Speakers

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