Illustration of patchwork
- patchwork 2
patchwork
noun
patch·work
ˈpach-ˌwərk 
often attributive
1
: something composed of miscellaneous or incongruous parts : hodgepodge
2
: pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together to form a covering
also
: something resembling such a covering
a patchwork of fields
Examples of patchwork in a Sentence
The valley is a patchwork of family farms.
A patchwork of laws prevent the land from being developed.
a patchwork system of laws
Recent Examples on the Web
The confusion is compounded by the patchwork nature of the SNAP program, which is administered jointly by the federal government and the states.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Two, elite offensive lines can’t be patchwork jobs, can’t be microwaved and can’t have 80-90% turnover every year.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
In Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, obsessive scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) creates life in the form of his patchwork Creature (Jacob Elordi).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Without an international framework, commercial ventures must navigate a patchwork of national laws and evolving interpretations of space ownership.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Two, elite offensive lines can’t be patchwork jobs, can’t be microwaved and can’t have 80-90% turnover every year.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
In Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, obsessive scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) creates life in the form of his patchwork Creature (Jacob Elordi).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Without an international framework, commercial ventures must navigate a patchwork of national laws and evolving interpretations of space ownership.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
Cite this Entry
“Patchwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchwork. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patchwork
noun
patch·work
ˈpach-ˌwərk
1
: something made up of various parts
2
: pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together usually in a pattern
patchwork
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share