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.
There are predictable patterns of eyebrow hair loss, like fading outer edges or patchy thinning in the center. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025 Snowfall this year has been patchy; although there have been storms across the nation, dumping inches of powder everywhere from Vermont to New Orleans, On The Snow reports below-average snowfall at nearly all ski resorts. Anna Fiorentino, AFAR Media, 28 Feb. 2025 Wrexham’s own recent form is rather patchy compared to Orient, their eight games since the turn of the year having yielded three victories and three defeats. Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025 The two skin-loving ingredients add slip to prevent tugging while keeping lips moisturized to avoid flaking or patchy fading. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 24 Feb. 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 23 Mar. 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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