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
Wilson’s frustrations are compounded by Advent’s spotty record in the consumer space, the people say ; another Advent name, the haircare brand Olaplex, has seen its stock collapse since its 2022 IPO.
—
Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Cristobal had a spotty record with some curious coaching decisions in losses prior to this season.
—Erick Smith, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
Tucker is no longer around, and one has to wonder what Crow-Armstrong can be over the long haul after a spotty second half.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
But nature doesn't always adhere to moderation, and too much snow can contribute to spotty areas of dead and damaged grass in spring.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Cristobal had a spotty record with some curious coaching decisions in losses prior to this season.
—Erick Smith, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
Tucker is no longer around, and one has to wonder what Crow-Armstrong can be over the long haul after a spotty second half.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
But nature doesn't always adhere to moderation, and too much snow can contribute to spotty areas of dead and damaged grass in spring.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
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Oversight becomes sporadic and trust weakens, not because systems fail outright, but because people struggle to explain or stand behind what the systems do.—
Murugan Anandarajan,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
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There have also been sporadic collaborations with figures such as Katharine Hamnett and British visual artist Julian Opie.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And when Bichette puts on another team’s cap and signs on their dotted line, the Red Sox will pivot again.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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Cleaning up things, making sure everything’s dotted.—
Benjamin Royer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The study offers a biological explanation for why movement—even gentle or intermittent movement—may help slow tumor growth.—
Avi Patel,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
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Ray, by contrast, is a figure of intermittent but undeniable mirth—a citadel of physical perfection whose sublimity occasionally touches the ridiculous.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sparkling Orange Nº1, a low-intervention, organic orange (orange colored due to skin contact, no oranges used) bubbly from Alsace that pops with orange peel and juicy peach, then drifts into jasmine, herbs, and gentle spice.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Run the cycle again, warm for colored towels and hot for white towels.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Writing a novel is a solitary experience but not writing one is even more so, without the occasional call from an editor or marketing person to keep me warm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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In wellness circles, the drink is credited with a draining, detoxifying, and purifying action that may assist the body’s natural detox processes and help counter occasional constipation.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Engram’s impact at TE1 was erratic, though, to put it kindly.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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Even for a politician known for erratic policy shifts, this swap—of longtime democratic partners that have sacrificed much for America’s benefit in exchange for an authoritarian regime intent on undermining it—is bizarre.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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