1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
only spotty business failures marred the economic boom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots
Dalmatians are spotty dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of spotty
Though the group’s track record was spotty, Texas politics today is dominated by right-wing leaders, like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who were early beneficiaries of its millions.
—
Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
But now, with US vaccination rates slipping, herd immunity becoming spotty, cases rising by the day, and outbreaks simmering in multiple states, the US is no longer different from far-off places that struggle with the extremely infectious virus.
—Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025
Slow speeds and spotty coverage can make streaming, gaming, and video calls a headache, but Amazon’s Eero mesh Wi-Fi systems help keep things running smoothly.
—Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025
Lefty Joey Cantillo, who gained valuable MLB experience last year with Cleveland, is hoping to build on his spotty rookie season.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
But now, with US vaccination rates slipping, herd immunity becoming spotty, cases rising by the day, and outbreaks simmering in multiple states, the US is no longer different from far-off places that struggle with the extremely infectious virus.
—Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025
Slow speeds and spotty coverage can make streaming, gaming, and video calls a headache, but Amazon’s Eero mesh Wi-Fi systems help keep things running smoothly.
—Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025
Lefty Joey Cantillo, who gained valuable MLB experience last year with Cleveland, is hoping to build on his spotty rookie season.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
Adjective
-
During her active years with WWE, which spanned from 2006 to her initial departure in 2012 and included subsequent sporadic returns for special appearances, Kelly Kelly achieved a significant milestone by capturing the WWE Divas Championship.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
-
These societies could survive without the sporadic acquisition of meat, anthropologists note.—
Amanda Ruggeri,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Biohacking is a fancy term for lifestyle modifications that include cutting down on alcohol or coffee, incorporating intermittent fasting and strapping on devices that monitor body functions.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Over the course of a year, people in the intermittent fasting group lost nearly 17 pounds—about 60% more than those who were asked to trim back their daily calories by one-third, according to the study.—
Dr. Alice Gao,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And non-alcohol drinks are available from The New Bar, known for its zero-proof cocktails, beers, wines, and the occasional fancy soda.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Initially, MacGregor's character was supposed to make only occasional appearances, but she was promoted to series regular after her performance was so well-received.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
So there’s always these really erratic twists and turns.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Jackson is respected for his work ethic and all-round contribution but his erratic finishing is a source of deep frustration, made even more fraught by the lack of credible No 9 alternatives available to Maresca.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share