patchy
If something is patchy, it has some parts and some empty parts.
Existing or appearing in separate patches rather than covering an area evenly; uneven or irregular in distribution.
If something is patchy, it is good sometimes but not always.
Not consistent in quality, effectiveness, or availability; happening or working only in some times or places.
Made from many different pieces put together.
Made from different pieces of material or different parts joined together, like a patchwork; having a patched-together look.
- Base: patchy
- Comparative: patchier
- Superlative: patchiest
patchy at best
1only slightly good; inconsistent
Not very good and not reliable.
- The customer support is patchy at best, especially on weekends.
- Their progress has been patchy at best since the project started.
- The data is patchy at best, so we can’t draw strong conclusions.
- The service is patchy at best.
patchy coverage
1coverage only in some places
Coverage that works in some places but not in others.
- This route has patchy coverage, so download the map before you go.
- We get patchy coverage in the basement offices.
- Rural areas still suffer from patchy coverage.
- There is patchy coverage here.
patchy reception
1unreliable phone or radio signal
A signal that works only sometimes.
- Sorry I missed your call—I had patchy reception on the train.
- We always get patchy reception in the mountains.
- The podcast kept cutting out because of patchy reception.
- I have patchy reception today.