1
a
: the action of traversing a district or beat or of going the rounds along a chain of guards for observation or the maintenance of security
b
: the person performing such an action
c
: a unit of persons or vehicles employed for reconnaissance, security, or combat
2
: a subdivision of a Boy Scout troop or Girl Scout troop
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol
: to carry out a patrol of
patroller
noun
Examples of patrol in a Sentence
Noun
The guard makes a patrol of the building every hour.
Soldiers are on patrol along the border.
Army patrols combed the area.
Verb
The squad had orders to patrol the area.
The border is patrolled by the army.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Four uniformed border patrol agents in two marked vehicles were taking 15 people detained on immigration violations from the Gibraltar border patrol station to the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin on July 7, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Chad De Guzman, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Smith plays Hanna, a cantankerous nonagenarian, who patrols the Golden Gate Bridge every day and intervenes when people get too close to the edge.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
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Noun
This would include walking and bike patrols as well as better lighting and security cameras, according to the motion.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Four uniformed border patrol agents in two marked vehicles were taking 15 people detained on immigration violations from the Gibraltar border patrol station to the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin on July 7, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
When officers patrolling the area approached, the report says, the suspects fled by foot, and two were caught and positively identified by the victims.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Smith plays Hanna, a cantankerous nonagenarian, who patrols the Golden Gate Bridge every day and intervenes when people get too close to the edge.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Cite this Entry
“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrol. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patrol
1 of 2 noun
pa·trol
pə-ˈtrōl 
1
a
: the action of going the rounds of an area for observation or guard
b
: the person or group doing the patrolling
2
: a part of a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop
patrol
2 of 2 verb
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol or a patrol of
patroller
noun
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