1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
only spotty business failures marred the economic boom
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots
Dalmatians are spotty dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spotty
Within the monument, most of the roads are gravel or dirt, and there is no drinkable water, no food, no gas and spotty cellphone coverage.
—
Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Other research has shown that success to be spotty and dependent on where the bans are in effect.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
After 400 feet, reception was spotty, and at 500 feet there was no response at all.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Morrissey has rarely played stateside festivals amid a spotty track record of canceling or postponing some 200 headlining appearances in the past decade-plus.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Other research has shown that success to be spotty and dependent on where the bans are in effect.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
After 400 feet, reception was spotty, and at 500 feet there was no response at all.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Morrissey has rarely played stateside festivals amid a spotty track record of canceling or postponing some 200 headlining appearances in the past decade-plus.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
-
Did Curry and Kristaps Porzingis magically turn into Magic and Worthy in their sporadic handful of minutes together this month?—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Spears was released from her 13-year conservatorship in 2021 and has largely kept a low profile since then, outside of some sporadic social media activity.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Similar to the actress’s blouse, this Amazon find has billowy long sleeves, a playful dotted print, and a tie neckline that adds extra fashion flair when poking out from under spring jackets and blazers.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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Cane-Like Begonias Cane-like begonias, known as angel wings, are known for their glossy, dotted, or hairy foliage.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Team Pritzker lauds last year’s amendments to CEJA, which included a new surcharge on electric bills to support the construction of batteries that can store power from intermittent sources like wind and solar and deploy the juice when later needed.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Since their fourth album, 2013’s Tomorrow’s Harvest, intermittent signs of life have appeared in the form of seemingly random remixes, archival reissues, and an NTS DJ mix.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Portage police added that while some students play the game safely using brightly colored water guns, others have created dangerous situations that can trigger panic.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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The towering pylon's entire facade lights up with colored LEDs that change according to the time of day, as well as the seasons.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Electric Bleu is French food caressed with California seasonality and the occasional pop of Aussie nostalgia.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Roughly 61% say Trump has become more erratic with age, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in February.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Cuomo and other employees were concerned by Fahim’s bizarre and erratic behavior — along with his poor personal hygiene — and unsuccessfully tried to get the leaders of the firm to fire him.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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