patchier; patchiest
Synonyms of patchynext
1
: marked by, consisting of, or diversified with patches
2
: irregular in appearance, makeup, or quality
patchily adverb
patchiness noun

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
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.
Spurs started the season with a patchy squad. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 May 2026 Some patchy fog cannot be ruled out early on as well. Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 11 May 2026 The autoimmune disorder causes the body to attack its own hair follicles, which leads to baldness and patchy hair loss. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026 Even if the exact rankings are debatable (franchise revenue data is notoriously patchy), the scale is not. Bobby Ghosh, Time, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for patchy

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patchy was in 1583

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Patchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchy. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

patchy

adjective
patchier; patchiest
: consisting of or marked by patches : resembling patchwork

More from Merriam-Webster on patchy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster