patchier; patchiest
1
: marked by, consisting of, or diversified with patches
2
: irregular in appearance, makeup, or quality
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
But since then his form and fitness have been patchy again.
—
Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Despite some virtue signalling in the form of flashy green pledges, genuine action has been slow, dubious and patchy.
—Marianne Lehnis, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
More patchy showers will fall Thursday, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to warn that the downpour could increase the chance of debris flow in the areas of the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles that were scorched in January.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
Clumps of hair were missing, and their long locks had been transformed into patchy, uneven mullets.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchy
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.
Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Despite some virtue signalling in the form of flashy green pledges, genuine action has been slow, dubious and patchy.
—Marianne Lehnis, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
More patchy showers will fall Thursday, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to warn that the downpour could increase the chance of debris flow in the areas of the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles that were scorched in January.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
Clumps of hair were missing, and their long locks had been transformed into patchy, uneven mullets.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchy
Cite this Entry
“Patchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchy. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patchy
adjective
patchier; patchiest
: consisting of or marked by patches : resembling patchwork
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share