Patchy vs Fitful - What's the difference?

As adjectives the difference between patchy and fitful

is that patchy is full of, or covered with, patches; abounding in patches while fitful is irregular; unsteady; characterized by fits.

(er)

Full of, or covered with, patches; abounding in patches.

Not constant or continuous; intermittent or uneven .

patchy clouds

(en adjective)

Irregular; unsteady; characterized by fits.

His breathing was fitful .

*1605 , Shakespeare, Macbeth ,

[...] Duncan is in his grave;

After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;

*1851 ,

*:The cabin lamp—taking long swings this way and that— was burning fitfully, and casting fitful shadows upon the old man’s bolted door [...]

*2012 , The Economist, The economy: Don’t say “green shoots”

*:So fitful has Britain’s economy been that any good news is understandably snatched at.

* fitfully * fitfulness