patchier; patchiest
1
: marked by, consisting of, or diversified with patches
2
: irregular in appearance, makeup, or quality
patchily adverb
patchiness noun

Examples of patchy in a Sentence

The lawn is kind of patchy this year. Patchy fog made driving difficult. His knowledge of the language is patchy. She has only a patchy understanding of his condition.
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.
Clumps of hair were missing, and their long locks had been transformed into patchy, uneven mullets. Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025 Eczema, which looks like red, patchy, scaly areas of skin, and contact dermatitis are among the most common. Wendy Wisner, Health, 18 Apr. 2025 Thus, balanced diets are now explicitly factored in (although as with some of the other indicators, data is patchy). Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Fortunately, the January transfer window has at least helped bolster an otherwise patchy defence. Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patchy

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patchy was in 1583

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Patchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchy. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

patchy

adjective
patchier; patchiest
: consisting of or marked by patches : resembling patchwork

More from Merriam-Webster on patchy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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