patchy

/ˈpætʃ.i/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpætʃ.i/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-chē/ (ame, mw)

patchy — adjective

  • patchypositive
  • patchiercomparative
  • patchiestsuperlative

1. present in separate areas instead of spreading evenly, leaving clear gaps betwee

1.形容詞B2
釋義

present in separate areas instead of spreading evenly, leaving clear gaps between one part and another.

例句

Patchy fog slowed drivers on the mountain road before sunrise.

patchy + weather noun for uneven local coverage

By noon, patchy snow still covered the football field behind the school.

同義詞
  • spotty

    often used for weak coverage or performance, especially in American English

  • uneven

    broader term for anything not equally spread or balanced

  • scattered

    best when small amounts appear here and there, especially for weather

  • blotchy

    focuses on irregular marks or color patches on a surface or skin

反義詞
  • even

    spread smoothly or equally across the whole area

  • uniform

    the same throughout, with no gaps or obvious variation

  • continuous

    extending without breaks from one part to the next

文法句型

patchy fog

patchy snow

look patchy

用法筆記

Usually describes coverage or growth across a surface or area, such as fog, snow, grass, frost, cloud, or paint. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about uneven quality rather than uneven spread.

常見錯誤

❌The rain was patchy, so it was raining badly all day.
✅The rain was patchy, so only some neighborhoods were getting rain.
💡patchy here means unevenly spread, not uniformly heavy or weak.
❌The whole wall was patchy with one smooth color.
✅The wall looked patchy because some parts dried darker than others.
💡patchy suggests visible gaps or uneven coverage across the surface.

2. good in some parts or moments but weak in others, so the overall standard does n

2.形容詞B2
釋義

good in some parts or moments but weak in others, so the overall standard does not stay steady.

例句

Critics called the first season patchy, praising the cast but not the script.

patchy for mixed quality within one work

Sana's French was patchy after six months away from class.

同義詞
  • uneven

    slightly broader and more neutral for mixed quality

  • inconsistent

    stresses lack of steadiness more directly than patchy

  • mixed

    often used for results, reviews, or reactions rather than internal quality

  • erratic

    stronger and more sudden, often for behavior or performance changes

反義詞
  • consistent

    staying at a similar standard throughout

  • solid

    reliably good with no obvious weak stretches

  • reliable

    dependably good or steady over time

文法句型

patchy service

patchy performance

be patchy

用法筆記

Common with nouns like service, performance, memory, attendance, or writing when standards rise and fall from part to part or from day to day. It often softens criticism by suggesting there were still some good stretches.

常見錯誤

❌My answer was patchy because I forgot one date.
✅My answer was incomplete because I forgot one date.
💡patchy suggests mixed strong and weak parts, not just one missing detail.
❌The lesson was patchy because one student forgot a book.
✅The lesson was patchy because some parts were lively and others dragged.
💡patchy describes uneven quality over a stretch of time, not one isolated problem.