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
There have been regular proposals across the nation for decades, particularly in California, but success has been spotty.
—
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
The trial began last week and has featured emotional testimony from students and teachers who survived the shooting, police interviews with Colin Gray, Colt Gray’s spotty school attendance records and photos showing unsecured firearms and ammo in Colin Gray’s home.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Another source of eye rolls among attendees was a lack of Wi-Fi and spotty phone service.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
But its tower, located in Walnut Grove at the time, had a spottier signal and was farther away, according to previous Bee reporting.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
The trial began last week and has featured emotional testimony from students and teachers who survived the shooting, police interviews with Colin Gray, Colt Gray’s spotty school attendance records and photos showing unsecured firearms and ammo in Colin Gray’s home.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Another source of eye rolls among attendees was a lack of Wi-Fi and spotty phone service.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
But its tower, located in Walnut Grove at the time, had a spottier signal and was farther away, according to previous Bee reporting.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
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But Fontecchio has been in and out of the rotation, and Johnson has played only sporadic minutes this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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Kilauea is among the world’s most active volcanoes, with sporadic flare-ups since December 2024.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Moss wore a black, semi-sheer polka-dot blouse featuring delicate, dotted-mesh fabric that revealed a glimpse of skin underneath.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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The top surface is glass and features a dotted, dark ceramic coating burned into the top of the glass that only one factory in the world can make, according to Thornton.—
PJ Green
March 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The gray, white, and blue stripes, accented with an intermittent chevron pattern, add interest, while moderate distressing helps disguise everyday wear and tear.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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Industry insiders have spoken of intermittent communication from Noma buyers and have alluded to them pitting farmers against each other in pursuit of better prices.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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People gathered at Navy Pier on Saturday to celebrate the Hindu spring tradition of Holi, also known as the festival of colors, with music, dance, and by throwing and decorating each other with colored powder.—
Chris Sweda,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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Sorting blocks into different colored buckets.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When the music did start, with only two band members in tow (and some occasional backing tracks), that drummer mostly used mallets, and stuck toward accents more than beats, to keep things to the hushed mode she’s known for.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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Although police conduct occasional drug busts, the area remains one of the city’s largest open-air drug markets.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Oviedo has been excellent in each of his last two outings after a somewhat erratic spring debut, most recently striking out four over 3 1/3 scoreless innings in Saturday’s win over the Rays.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
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But the woman’s time on the stand was also contentious and erratic at times.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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