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Synonyms

patchy

American  
[pach-ee] / ˈpætʃ i /

adjective

patchier, patchiest

  1. characterized by or made up of patches. patch.

  2. occurring in, forming, or like patches. patch.

  3. of inconsistent or irregular quality, texture, etc.; not uniform.

    patchy acting; patchy areas of fog.
patchy British  
/ ˈpætʃɪ /

adjective

  1. irregular in quality, occurrence, intensity, etc

    a patchy essay

  2. having or forming patches

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • patchily adverb
  • patchiness noun

Etymology

Origin of patchy

First recorded in 1790–1800; patch 1 + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Things are patchier in the condo market. Realtor.com reports significant price increases in neighborhoods such as the Financial District-adjacent enclave Jackson Square.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, rollout so far has been reported to be patchy with not all GPs currently prescribing them as much as expected.

From BBC

But what's driving this spending at a time when India's job market has been weak, wages haven't really grown rapidly and overall private consumption, which makes up 60% of GDP, has remained patchy?

From BBC

"Unfortunately we still have a system that is characterised by conflict, by fight, but also by really patchy levels of quality."

From BBC

The images revealed that what begins as a uniform CMC coating can break apart into uneven, patchy fragments during electrode processing, which may weaken battery performance and stability.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.