spottier; spottiest
2
: lacking uniformity especially in quality
the performance was spotty
also
: irregularly or sparsely distributed
spotty attendance
spotty data
Synonyms
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
The reasons — lineup changes, spotty in-game adjustments, timeout management, etc. — have been detailed not only after Ham’s firing but also in real time as the team’s fan base openly shared its frustrations.
—
Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
Miami’s defense has been spotty, so that has been a priority this week.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spotty 
Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
Miami’s defense has been spotty, so that has been a priority this week.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spotty
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spotty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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