1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
only spotty business failures marred the economic boom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots
Dalmatians are spotty dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 spotty
Rodríguez — who at 22 years and 254 days old became the youngest player to pitch for the Yankees since Deivi Garcia did so in 2021 — initially worked around his spotty control, escaping the first inning despite a pair of walks.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
But by the summer of 1969, Mellencamp’s participation in the group was spotty or had ended.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
These areas could experience tornadoes, widespread damaging wind gusts, large hail and spotty flash flooding.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Cellphone service inside the ballroom was spotty.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
But by the summer of 1969, Mellencamp’s participation in the group was spotty or had ended.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
These areas could experience tornadoes, widespread damaging wind gusts, large hail and spotty flash flooding.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Cellphone service inside the ballroom was spotty.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
-
Flows are narcoleptic, drums are sporadic, and melodies are soft enough to live in a dollhouse.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Still, sporadic cross-border fighting had continued even while delegations from the two sides were attending the talks in Urumqi.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 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
-
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
-
The deflating defeat, narrated by an intermittent cascade of boos, rendered their record the worst in baseball at 7-16 and suddenly a half-game lousier than the idle New York Mets.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
The job market is showing intermittent signs of recovery after a bleak 2025.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Many of the buildings are painted almost like a salmon-colored pink.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
In one classic problem, you’re given three colored pencils and a blank map divided into many regions.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Although the program was a tribute to the TV series starring Paul Reuben as Pee-wee Herman and not the feature films with the same character, there was an occasional moment of crossover into the Pee-wee cinematic universe.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
-
The hotel’s 88 rooms, including 25 suites created by award-winning design studio Jaime Beriestain, are understated in ivory, dove gray, and the occasional dash of teal velvet, with Egyptian cotton bed linens and goose down comforters.—
Eddi Fiegel,
Robb Report,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
By the time officers arrived, the situation had escalated into what officials described as an active shooter incident, with the suspect walking down the middle of Memorial Drive and firing in an erratic manner as traffic came to a halt.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
In a video about an erratic Uber driver, a recognizable dynamic—awkward small talk, impatience to set off—escalates into a life-threatening one.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
