1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
only spotty business failures marred the economic boom
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots
Dalmatians are spotty dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spotty
What’s interesting about them in the aggregate is their glorification of ordinary law enforcement — the agent who’s retired but pulled in for one last mission, the soldier with a spotty past, the cop who’s estranged from his family but wants to save them.
—
Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Part One’: Is The Film Streaming Yet? Way back, in the midst of time in the 1980s, Mrs. Carlisle, a teacher who happened to be the mother of a close friend, invited me to give a talk to a class of spotty youths at Sheen Comprehensive school, near Richmond in Surrey.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2025
The safety record is a little spottier abroad, but most common destinations for U.S. travelers, like western Europe, southeast Asia, the Middle East and Oceania have similarly strong aviation safety records.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025
So far regulations on gambling ads in the U.S. have been spotty.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for spotty 
Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Part One’: Is The Film Streaming Yet? Way back, in the midst of time in the 1980s, Mrs. Carlisle, a teacher who happened to be the mother of a close friend, invited me to give a talk to a class of spotty youths at Sheen Comprehensive school, near Richmond in Surrey.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2025
The safety record is a little spottier abroad, but most common destinations for U.S. travelers, like western Europe, southeast Asia, the Middle East and Oceania have similarly strong aviation safety records.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025
So far regulations on gambling ads in the U.S. have been spotty.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
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FRBs are sporadic, intense flashes of radio wave energy that can be brighter than entire galaxies.—
John Loeffler,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2025
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Broader and border disputes Not only have different interest groups and political actors used maps of the region to put forth competing geopolitical claims, but maps have also played a central role in sporadic efforts to establish peace in the region.—
Christine Leuenberger,
The Conversation,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In an effort to onboard users, Tubi was running a free livestream for the championship game, —which ended in a victory for the Eagles—but things didn’t exactly go swimmingly, with multiple users reporting intermittent buffering issues and freezes.—
Dimitar 'Mix' Mihov,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2025
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However, intermittent fasting comes with major potential health risks for people with conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Staff and volunteers who have a bond with Linus have experienced some head butts of affection and occasional cuddles after a long play session.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2025
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Amy regularly visits, taking her grandpa out for lunch or the occasional beer.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The fallout comes after the 47-year-old’s erratic and offensive antisemitic behavior.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
12 Feb. 2025
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Kanye West bought a 30-second local television spot on Sunday night that played only in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Atlanta during the Super Bowl to promote his Yeezy fashion brand, bringing more scrutiny about his erratic and antisemitic behavior.—
Heather Hunter,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
11 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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