Patchy

Describing something that is uneven in quality, occurrence, or distribution; characterized by areas or parts that are different from the surrounding area. This can refer to physical appearances, like a patchy beard, or more abstract concepts such as patchy attendance or patchy weather. The inconsistency implies a lack of uniformity and can suggest a state of being incomplete or unreliable in certain aspects. The term suggests an element of randomness or lack of consistent structure or form.

Patchy meaning with examples

• The artist's inspiration for the painting was patchy; some sections were brilliantly detailed while others seemed rushed and unfinished, revealing an unevenness in his dedication to the project. The result was a piece that showed flashes of brilliance, but ultimately lacked consistency across its entire surface and overall presentation.
• Attendance at the weekly club meetings had been patchy this past month, with varying numbers of members showing up each week. This made it difficult to get anything accomplished as consistent participation was key to moving initiatives ahead, and the lack of predictability hindered the project's progress.
• The early spring weather was decidedly patchy, one day offering warm sunshine and the next delivering heavy rain and even a light dusting of snow. These stark contrasts between the conditions complicated the planning of outdoor events and made gardening a precarious proposition.
• Her memory of the incident was patchy; she recalled fragments of the conversation, but many details and larger moments were lost to her. This meant she couldn't give a full account of what had happened that night and had to rely on input from others to clarify her recall.
• The signal strength on the phone was patchy, frequently dropping out in certain parts of town, causing interrupted calls. This meant it was a constant source of frustration for residents, especially those who relied on their phones for business or emergencies.