patch up

phrasal verb

patched up; patching up; patches up

1

: to deal with (a problem, disagreement, etc.) in order to improve or repair a relationship

They finally patched up their differences.

He is going to try to patch things up with his girlfriend.

2

: to give quick and usually temporary medical treatment to (someone or something)

The doctor patched him up, so he's going to be as good as new.

She patched up his wounded arm.

Examples of patch up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But there’s plenty of work to be done to patch up a roster that was torn apart at the trade deadline and went on to lose 92 games. —Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025

Carney visited the White House in early October, and relations seemed to have been patched up. —Steve Kopack, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025

Previously, scientists had found that the DNA sensor cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS) was driving this system-wide repair, patching up DNA double-strand breaks to stabilize the genome, but how this came to be has remained a mystery until now. —New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025

Now Neil Basu, the former head of the UK’s Counter Terrorism unit, said Harry should patch up his relationship with Charles in the hope his father would ask for the police team to be returned. —Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for patch up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup