spottier; spottiest
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also
: irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
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
The pattern in recent weeks has favored mostly dry conditions, with only spotty thunderstorm activity, Longley explained.
—
Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
His attendance was spotty and his classwork often undone.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
Troy Franklin, 22, showed flashes in a largely spotty rookie year.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which already had a spotty record of overseeing high-interest lending, is being gutted by the Trump administration.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
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Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
His attendance was spotty and his classwork often undone.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
Troy Franklin, 22, showed flashes in a largely spotty rookie year.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which already had a spotty record of overseeing high-interest lending, is being gutted by the Trump administration.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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