1
as in to condescend
to assume or treat with an air of superiority
a director with an unpleasant habit of patronizing even his most gifted actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to endorse
to promote the interests or cause of
a company that loyally patronizes the arts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of patronize
The towns seem relatively full during the daytime—both in terms of people and in terms of interesting buildings to explore or patronize.
—
ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 2025
For one, if national security is going to be the routine excuse for not allowing Americans to patronize Chinese businesses, then by extension the employees of Chinese businesses will have greatly reduced means to purchase from American businesses.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Moreover, these restrictions did not address the root causes of the violence, which often occurred outside the establishments and involved individuals not patronizing the venues.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025
That admittedly basic concept—that Deaf people don’t need hearing people worrying about or patronizing them—is one of the key themes of the film.
—John Hendrickson, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for patronize
ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 2025
For one, if national security is going to be the routine excuse for not allowing Americans to patronize Chinese businesses, then by extension the employees of Chinese businesses will have greatly reduced means to purchase from American businesses.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Moreover, these restrictions did not address the root causes of the violence, which often occurred outside the establishments and involved individuals not patronizing the venues.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025
That admittedly basic concept—that Deaf people don’t need hearing people worrying about or patronizing them—is one of the key themes of the film.
—John Hendrickson, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for patronize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronize
Verb
-
The movie was somewhat progressive for its time in discussing the gay community in a not-always condescending way.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
31 May 2025
-
The tone often shifts from helpful to condescending.—
Diana Spehar,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Last year, the Indonesian political party Golkar created a deepfake of former president Suharto endorsing its candidate.—
Cecilia Hult,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
-
Quevedo, who earned 22% of the primary vote, quickly endorsed Tordillos.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
This means advocating for ethical AI use while remaining people-centered, ensuring equity in innovation, and designing solutions that reflect cultural nuance and community needs.—
Britney Porter,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Her focus on women's health also includes advocating for making tampons and pads more accessible.—
Megan Myscofski,
NPR,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
The prospect of trying to cut open a stubborn 5-4-1 block in the Orlando heat could have become torturous quite quickly.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
In February, the agency announced plans to cut 7,000 of the agency’s 57,000 employees ‒ more than 10% of staff ‒ in response to President Trump’s executive orders.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Some include strengthening academic and residential life and including more Jewish student representation; supporting belonging and promoting respectful dialogue; and updating campus use rules and other procedures.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
Using a fan or air conditioning to circulate air will also support heat transfer from your body and help prevent night sweats, according to Gradisar. 2.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patronize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronize. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share