spotty

adjective

ˈspä-tē How to pronounce spotty (audio)
Definition of spottynext
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

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 More spotty showers and storms could pop up midday in northern Missouri. — Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 Cell service can also be spotty or nonexistent, so download any maps or directions beforehand for offline use. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026 Cell service can be spotty in some areas; download maps ahead of time. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 7 Aug. 2026 At 5-foot-9, 183 pounds, Flowers has not been a huge red zone threat, and the Ravens’ deep passing game has been spotty in recent years. — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotty
  1. sporadic
  2. dotted
  3. intermittent
  4. colored
  5. occasional
  6. erratic
Adjective
  • Despite the drumbeat of warnings and sporadic enforcement, there is widespread defiance of official regulations, especially among young Iranian women.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • But Iran continues to mount sporadic attacks against shipping and assert its claim over the strait.
    — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • For an easy finishing touch, toss a dotted floral throw pillow onto your sofa or bed to bring in warmer tones and cozier textures.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The dotted centers of the doodle-looking flowers were instead clusters of spotlights that could point in different directions.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dotted
Adjective
  • In Iraq, the United States inflicted a dozen years of punishing sanctions, intermittent bombing, and failed regime change and counterproliferation efforts, followed by the disastrous 2003 invasion and occupation, all at tremendous human cost.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Then came even more emotion, with intermittent pauses to cry.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • Pay attention to ordinary pleasures, like a warm bed on a cold night, a good cup of coffee, or a brightly colored bird outside the window.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Oyster shells—colored brown, gray, or white externally—have the roughest texture of the three bivalves.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of colored
Adjective
  • Brown has had occasional rough moments during camp, but coach Zac Taylor wasn’t hitting the panic button after a dozen practices and two live series.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Chinese authorities have long seen the deaths of popular former leaders as a potential trigger for a surge of public emotion and an occasional catalyst for instability when remembrance of the dead turns into criticism of those in power.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • However, as global heat increases, the rain is becoming more erratic and intense, creating the conditions for deadly floods.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Those might include escalating consumption, erratic behavior, drinking alone, secretly drinking and drinking during the day.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of erratic

Browse Nearby Words

spotting
spotty
spousal
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Cite this Entry

“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotty. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spotty for Spanish Speakers

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