PATCHY Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

patchy

adjective

Definition of patchy

as in dilapidated

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of patchy And yet, there still feels something a bit patchy about England. — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 27 June 2026 With communication patchy, social media and online registries have become a crucial tool for many Venezuelans seeking information and resources beyond sparse government statistics. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 Talk to your doctor if hair loss is severe, patchy, or doesn’t improve after six months. — Parents, 25 June 2026 Their efforts initially met only patchy success. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for patchy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for patchy

Adjective

Back at the dilapidated family home, Edgar grows even surlier, lashing into gentle-natured Joe for being an under-achiever compared to his brother and causing Thya to become apprehensive about Ed’s proximity to sharp objects.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
After Will’s funeral, Alice retreats to her in-laws’ remote, dilapidated house, where, through the Necronomicon, a demonic spirit is unleashed and begins to turn the family members into Deadites.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of dilapidated

Adjective

Eric_Lynxweiler | Courtesy of Latinos in Heritage Conservation The Silver Platter, with its faded crimson awning along a stretch in Los Angeles’ Westlake District, doesn’t look like much from the outside.

— R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
The faded fabric, buttery-soft cotton, and contrast-trim neckline lend it a vintage vibe that won’t look out of place when paired with more contemporary pieces.

— Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026

Definition of faded

Adjective

Ground beef and veggies are topped with mashed potatoes and shredded cheese before going in the oven.

— Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
In this dish, the traditional South American flatbread is typically filled with cheese, black beans, sweet plantain and shredded beef.

— Melody Xu, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of shredded

Adjective

Too mangy, too rangy, prowling in their bony elegance, leaping weightless from dangerously precarious mounds of sharp edges, peering yellow- eyed from shadows.

— Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 May 2026
To write, especially in a first draft, is to submit myself to the mangy, cackling glory of not knowing.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Apr. 2026

Definition of mangy

Adjective

Even though modern machines and detergents have taken most of the workload out of the task, there are still some outdated laundry habits that may leave your clothes and linens looking dingy, smelling less than fresh, and feeling scratchy.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
Keep It Clean An unkempt shower curtain can make your bathroom appear dingy.

— Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026

Definition of dingy

Adjective

Since construction at the Eagle Rock site — so nicknamed after a decrepit colonnade — first stalled in 2008, the only thing that accumulated faster than the garbage and graffiti were the epithets from outraged community members.

— Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Now Trump wanted Hildebrand and two dozen other energy executives to commit to investing $100 billion in Venezuela’s decrepit oil industry.

— Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 16 June 2026

Definition of decrepit

Adjective

For example, receive a new pair of socks, finally throw away that extra holey pair hiding in the back of the drawer.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026
That’s thanks to a quirk of South Florida’s geology, where the entire region is perched on holey rock that does little to stop the rise of groundwater, which Sukop’s research has shown is rising on pace with sea level.

— Susan Merriam, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025

Definition of holey

Browse Nearby Words

patchworks

patchy

pat down

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Patchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patchy. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of patchy

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on patchy

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effulgence

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes