spotty

adjective

spot·​ty ˈspä-tē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
spottier; spottiest
Synonyms of spottynext
1
: marked with spots : spotted
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also : irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
spottily
ˈspä-tə-lē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
adverb
spottiness
ˈspä-tē-nəs How to pronounce spotty (audio)
noun

Synonyms of spotty

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Examples of spotty in a Sentence

Her work has been spotty. The service at that restaurant is a little spotty. students with spotty attendance records
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Although the heaviest rain is over, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service, people across the Southwest can expect spotty rain and high tides for the next couple of days. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Dylan, Saville, and Boty did spend a good deal of time together over the coming days and weeks, quite apart from Dylan’s spotty work on Madhouse. — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026 Over a dozen have enacted bans on kratom, 7-OH, or both, though enforcement is spotty. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026 Overall, responses were slow, appropriate use of personal protective equipment was spotty, and only 60 percent of facilities passed the basics of the test—an overall failing grade. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spotty

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spotty was in the 14th century

Rhymes for spotty

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Browse Nearby Words

spottle
spotty
spot up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

spotty

adjective
spot·​ty ˈspät-ē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
spottier; spottiest
1
: having spots
2
: not always the same especially in quality
your work has been spotty
spottily
ˈspät-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
adverb
spottiness
ˈspät-ē-nəs How to pronounce spotty (audio)
noun
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