patchier; patchiest
1
: marked by, consisting of, or diversified with patches
2
: irregular in appearance, makeup, or quality
Examples of patchy in a Sentence
The lawn is kind of patchy this year.
Patchy fog made driving difficult.
His knowledge of the language is patchy.
She has only a patchy understanding of his condition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Key Background Zuckerberg has a patchy history with Trump and his allies, largely surrounding Facebook’s content moderation policies, as Republicans have repeatedly alleged the policies are skewed in favor of Democrats.
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Sara Dorn, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
The map shows that north-central Colorado, including parts of Grand and Clear Creek counties, will get the action going first, with patchy colors starting around Sept. 16 and peaking about two weeks later.
—The Know, The Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2024
The flaw, which is rooted in an effort to ensure the drugs are traceable and safe, is exacerbated by patchy regulation by health authorities globally.
—Patrick Wingrove, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024
Hong Kong/London CNN — Japanese shares soared Tuesday, clawing back some of their record losses from the previous day and underpinning a patchy recovery on global markets.
—Laura He, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchy 
Sara Dorn, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
The map shows that north-central Colorado, including parts of Grand and Clear Creek counties, will get the action going first, with patchy colors starting around Sept. 16 and peaking about two weeks later.
—The Know, The Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2024
The flaw, which is rooted in an effort to ensure the drugs are traceable and safe, is exacerbated by patchy regulation by health authorities globally.
—Patrick Wingrove, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024
Hong Kong/London CNN — Japanese shares soared Tuesday, clawing back some of their record losses from the previous day and underpinning a patchy recovery on global markets.
—Laura He, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patchy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near patchy
Cite this Entry
“Patchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchy. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patchy
adjective
patchier; patchiest
: consisting of or marked by patches : resembling patchwork
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