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.

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patchy British  

/ ˈpætʃɪ /

adjective

1. irregular in quality, occurrence, intensity, etc

   a patchy essay

2. having or forming patches

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Other Word Forms

• patchily adverb
• patchiness noun

Etymology

Origin of patchy

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

Example Sentences

Several hundred vessels are estimated to belong to this opaque shipping network, many of which are aging tankers with patchy safety records and often only limited insurance.

From The Wall Street Journal

In March, a report by the Public Accounts Committee of MPs said availability on motorways was still "patchy".

From BBC

Their rebound offset a significant decline in Chile, where production suffered from heatwaves, patchy rainfall and water shortages.

From Barron's

Data is patchy from certain regions, but in recent years, Japan has seen among the highest number of fatal attacks globally.

From Barron's

Saturday night will be a little cooler with some eastern parts of both Scotland and England falling to 5 or 6C with patchy fog.

From BBC

Related Words

• erratic
• fitful
• irregular
• sketchy
• uneven