spotty

1 of 2

adjective

spot·​ty ˈspä-tē 

spottier; spottiest

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 

adverb

spottiness

ˈspä-tē-nəs 

noun

spottiness

2 of 2

noun

spot·​ti·​ness -ät|ēnə̇s 

-ät|, 

|in-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being spotty

economical, clean heat without spottiness or drafts

—Better Homes & Gardens

the spottiness of American labor history is due largely to … the business cycles

—Roger Burlingame

Synonyms of spotty

Adjective

• sporadic
• intermittent
• occasional
• erratic

Examples of spotty in a Sentence

Adjective

Her work has been spotty.

The service at that restaurant is a little spotty.

students with spotty attendance records

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Weather shifts quickly at elevation, cell service is spotty in remote areas, and desert and alpine environments carry risks that catch first-timers off guard. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

The public-health messaging from Kennedy’s agencies has been so garbled and spotty that your average grocery shopper may not know how to respond at all. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 23 July 2026

At most, parts of the Boise area could experience spotty downpours with a quarter-inch to a half-inch of rainfall, according to Les Colins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Boise office. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 22 July 2026

But implementation has been spotty, forcing women to seek illicit procedures. — Monika Pronczuk, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spotty

• dotty
• doughty
• draughty
• haughty
• knotty
• naughty
• potty
• scottie
• strati
• zloty
• basmati
• bharati

Kids Definition

spotty

adjective

spot·​ty ˈspät-ē 

spottier; spottiest

1

: having spots

2

: not always the same especially in quality

your work has been spotty

spottily

ˈspät-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

spottiness

ˈspät-ē-nəs 

noun