spottier; spottiest
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also
: irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
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
My research is admittedly spotty, but the cinema of in-your-face obstetrics has always felt like a primarily European art-film phenomenon.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Take your time—cell service is spotty, and the slow pace is part of the charm.
—Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2025
Tariffs essentially act as a tax on imports, though their direct link to inflation historically has been spotty.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
Front-office officials tried to communicate with Dončić about a plan to get him back on the court, but communication between the two sides was spotty.
—C. Clark, D. Aldridge, S. Amick, F. Katz, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
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Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Take your time—cell service is spotty, and the slow pace is part of the charm.
—Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2025
Tariffs essentially act as a tax on imports, though their direct link to inflation historically has been spotty.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
Front-office officials tried to communicate with Dončić about a plan to get him back on the court, but communication between the two sides was spotty.
—C. Clark, D. Aldridge, S. Amick, F. Katz, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spotty
adjective
spot·ty
ˈspät-ē 
spottier; spottiest
1
: having spots
2
: not always the same especially in quality
your work has been spotty
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