spottier; spottiest
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also
: irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
Synonyms
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
Sure, the set was spotty at parts – with moments of darkness and silence in between many songs and a handful of issues with mic volume, all of which Del Rey audibly called out.
—
Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 13 Apr. 2024
The device’s vision capability is also sometimes spotty, and some reviewers noted that the device’s AI can stretch the truth.
—Kyle Barr, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
Internet connections are spotty to nonexistent, and the conflict rages, for better or worse, without the breathless incursions and distortions of social media.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024
Smart home integration for these popular products has been spotty, and there’s been no support in Apple Home at all, just workarounds using Siri shortcuts.
—Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 9 Apr. 2024
Cell signal is spotty; carry paper maps or download maps to your phone and carry plenty of water and snacks.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
The Middle East is home to numerous dictatorships whose human rights records range from spotty (Morocco) to abysmal (Saudi Arabia).
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024
Essentially, that means as Kentucky approaches and undergoes totality, at around 3 p.m., calls are more likely to be spotty or drop more frequently.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Essentially, that means as Indiana approaches and undergoes totality, at around 3 p.m., calls are more likely to be spotty or drop more frequently.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 13 Apr. 2024
The device’s vision capability is also sometimes spotty, and some reviewers noted that the device’s AI can stretch the truth.
—Kyle Barr, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
Internet connections are spotty to nonexistent, and the conflict rages, for better or worse, without the breathless incursions and distortions of social media.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024
Smart home integration for these popular products has been spotty, and there’s been no support in Apple Home at all, just workarounds using Siri shortcuts.
—Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 9 Apr. 2024
Cell signal is spotty; carry paper maps or download maps to your phone and carry plenty of water and snacks.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
The Middle East is home to numerous dictatorships whose human rights records range from spotty (Morocco) to abysmal (Saudi Arabia).
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024
Essentially, that means as Kentucky approaches and undergoes totality, at around 3 p.m., calls are more likely to be spotty or drop more frequently.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Essentially, that means as Indiana approaches and undergoes totality, at around 3 p.m., calls are more likely to be spotty or drop more frequently.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spotty.' 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 spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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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