patchiness
patchiness — noun
1. the state of being present in some places or situations but absent or rare in ot
the state of being present in some places or situations but absent or rare in others, so that coverage is not complete or even
The patchiness of the mobile signal made phone calls difficult in the hills.
patchiness of + noun phrase (mobile signal)
The museum's patchiness was clear — packed rooms next to empty halls.
concrete example of uneven distribution across locations
Vegetation patchiness in the desert creates small oases where wildlife can survive.
The patchiness of healthcare services forces rural residents to travel far for treatment.
Satellite images showed patchiness in the ice cover across the Arctic region.
- unevenness
more general; can refer to any lack of uniformity, not just spatial coverage
- irregularity
emphasises lack of pattern or predictability
- spottiness
less common; specifically suggests isolated areas of presence amid emptiness
- uniformity
the opposite — complete and even coverage everywhere
- consistency
steady presence without gaps
文法句型
patchiness of + noun phrase
patchiness in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Usually describes physical or geographical distribution — the presence or absence of something across space.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of varying between good and bad at different times, so that the over
the quality of varying between good and bad at different times, so that the overall standard is not consistently high or reliable
The patchiness of the actor's performance confused critics — some scenes were brilliant, others flat.
patchiness of + performance / work / quality
The patchiness of the hotel's service frustrated Charlotte — excellent breakfast and broken Wi‑Fi.
The patchiness of student attendance made it hard for the teacher to plan lessons.
Ravindra noted the bus schedule's patchiness — punctual mornings, late afternoons.
Critics noted patchiness in the album — a few great tracks amid forgettable filler.
- inconsistency
more common; stresses unpredictable changes in quality
- unevenness
general term for lack of uniform quality
- variability
more neutral; describes natural variation rather than a flaw
- consistency
steady quality over time
- uniformity
same standard throughout
文法句型
patchiness of + noun phrase
patchiness in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Describes quality or performance that changes over time, not across space. Compare with sense 1 (UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION), which is about presence or absence across locations.