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
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
-
During intermittent periods for minutes at a time, the NYPD and MTAPD strategically closed certain doors temporarily out of the hundreds of doors throughout the terminal to prevent additional demonstrators from entering.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Invisible geckos belt out intermittent clicks from the foliage, as brown pelicans sweep lazily across the sky, patrolling the shoreline for their daily fill.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The show is thrilling as a sensory experience, humming with sinister percussive beats and the occasional muffled animal squawk in the distance.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2025
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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 16 Apr. 2025.
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