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
That has left things up to state and local regulators, but the record there is spotty.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
If your WiFi feels slow, sluggish, or spotty, the Netgear Nighthawk WiFi 6E Router might be the right investment for your home or office.
—Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 16 Jan. 2025
Detecting Stoned Driving: As cannabis use grows, national data on its effects on road safety is spotty.
—Heather Knight, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
For instance, Sewell-Smith said, finding a distant cousin in Jamaica ‒ which is not uncommon among African Americans because of the slave trade ‒ could be helpful for tracing roots, because Caribbean countries kept national slave lists, while American records were spottier.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spotty 
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.
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
If your WiFi feels slow, sluggish, or spotty, the Netgear Nighthawk WiFi 6E Router might be the right investment for your home or office.
—Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 16 Jan. 2025
Detecting Stoned Driving: As cannabis use grows, national data on its effects on road safety is spotty.
—Heather Knight, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
For instance, Sewell-Smith said, finding a distant cousin in Jamaica ‒ which is not uncommon among African Americans because of the slave trade ‒ could be helpful for tracing roots, because Caribbean countries kept national slave lists, while American records were spottier.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spotty
Dictionary Entries Near spotty
Cite this Entry
“Spotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotty. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share