patchiest
Least uniformly covered
Patchiest is the superlative of patchy—the most uneven, inconsistent, or incomplete.
What's patchy has gaps or bare spots: The lawn was at its patchiest after the drought.
Coverage, quality, or knowledge can be patchy: My memory of that night is at its patchiest for the hours after midnight.
Marked with spots
- speckledDotted with small marks
- blotchyIrregularly marked with patches
- fleckedSpotted with small marks
- variegatedMarked with different colors
marbled · stippled · brindled · piebald · calico · pied · mottled · splotchy
Lacking steady uniformity
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
- sporadicOccurring irregularly, infrequently
- unevenNot smooth or balanced
- scatteredSpread irregularly about
haphazard · intermittent · fitful · discontinuous · fragmented · unpredictable · variable · unreliable
dappled
Marked with spots
- speckledDotted with small marks
- blotchyIrregularly marked with patches
- fleckedSpotted with small marks
variegated · marbled · stippled · brindled · piebald · calico · pied · mottled · splotchy · spotted
inconsistent
Lacking steady uniformity
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
- sporadicOccurring irregularly, infrequently
- unevenNot smooth or balanced
scattered · haphazard · intermittent · fitful · discontinuous · fragmented · unpredictable · variable · unreliable · spotty
sparse
Thinly scattered or distributed
incomplete · uneven · threadbare · balding · worn · thinning · scanty · meager · spotty · inadequate