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 Command was spotty from the first inning onward for Wheeler who, entering the fifth, had given up six runs and thrown 92 pitches. — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Damaging winds and large hail are the main threats with these storms, but some isolated storms could also produce spotty flooding. — Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 However, this is becoming a theme for Ewers, who started the final three games last season as a rookie seventh-round draft pick but has been spotty in camp. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026 The inside of this sculptural detail featured an unusual abstract black spotty pattern. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 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
  • Bahrain and Kuwait, which have continued to face sporadic Iranian attacks, will have the lowest staffing of the Gulf embassies, with three-quarters of Foreign Service members returning.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Attacks on Kenscoff have escalated The first major attack on Kenscoff occurred in January 2025, and since then, there have been sporadic attacks in the mountains surrounding the city center.
    — Pierre-Richard Luxama, Los Angeles Times, 25 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
  • With intermittent rain in the forecast over the next week, some sessions could be rescheduled or delayed for hours, corralling fans and shortening the time players have to recover for their next round.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The project is designed to turn intermittent solar generation into a more dependable power source.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • Brightly colored and casual beach attire is a no-fail way to get flagged as a vulnerable tourist while abroad.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The brand, designed by Vincenzo Castaldo, is known for its vibrant colored gemstone jewels, chunky gold designs and bold, unconventional volumes.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of colored
Adjective
  • There are occasional non-permanent exhibitions relating to architecture and design.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Their Conan is the host for the Oscars, a podcast host, a voice in Toy Story 5, a world traveler, an occasional actor, and many other things.
    — Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • The Salt River's first major dam, Roosevelt Dam, was completed in 1911 in an effort to tame erratic flows and wrangle its water for the nascent farming communities downstream.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The sibling drama, meanwhile, rather fades out of view amid these loftier goings-on; the film’s narrative begins to feel devised by the old parlor game Consequences, repeatedly wrenched in erratic new directions.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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