patchy

adjective

ˈpa-chē 

patchier; patchiest

1

: marked by, consisting of, or diversified with patches

2

: irregular in appearance, makeup, or quality

patchily

ˈpa-chə-lē 

adverb

patchiness

ˈpa-chē-nəs 

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

Stone came back around a few years later to advertise 1982’s Ain’t But One Way, the patchy final studio album under the Family Stone moniker, completed by a producer when Stone flaked on the sessions. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Footprints that stroll through a patchy area of Grecian beach 6 million years ago has caused researchers to rethink the timeline of hominin presence outside of Africa. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 2 June 2025

Yet uncertainty filtered into the dressing room and the team began the season in patchy form. —George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2025

Brown, barren, patchy spots in your lawn can be unsightly. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for patchy

• catchy
• scratchy
• apache
• malachi

Kids Definition

patchy

adjective

ˈpach-ē 

patchier; patchiest

: consisting of or marked by patches : resembling patchwork