spotty

adjective

spot·​ty ˈspä-tē 

spottier; spottiest

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 

adverb

spottiness

ˈspä-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• aperiodic
• casual
• catchy
• choppy
• discontinuous
• episodic
• episodical
• erratic
• fitful
• intermittent
• irregular
• occasional
• spasmodic
• spastic
• sporadic
• unsteady

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

Adams plays a purse peddler who sets up shop for one day at Dunder Mifflin, which would seem like a spotty business investment were Michael and Dwight not so thirsty for her attention. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024

Their brilliance frequently masked the lack of shooting or the spotty perimeter defense. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024

Still, some patients struggle to access the drugs due to the spotty insurance coverage of weight loss treatments in the U.S. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024

Staying connected has been important for the Heat, who have experienced an oddly transient and spotty schedule to begin the season. —James Jackson, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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

spottily

ˈspät-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

spottiness

ˈspät-ē-nəs 

noun