patchwork

noun, often attributive

patch·work | \ ˈpach-ˌwərk

Definition of patchwork

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

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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

For them, Obama-era regulations across the country are preferable to a patchwork of regulations across the country. — Justin Worland, Time, "The World's Largest Automakers Asked Trump Not to Loosen a Climate Change Standard. Here's Why," 7 June 2019 Dana Carvey’s elderly Basset hound and Hannibal Buress as dachshund Buddy – in an increasingly complex patchwork, fed by a lively soundtrack that includes Stevie Wonder, Jefferson Airplane, Coolio and ZZ Top. — Mark Kennedy, Detroit Free Press, "‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’ is a worthy sequel," 6 June 2019 That left a patchwork: 15 states in which payday loans were banned outright, a handful of states with strong enforcement — and large swaths of the country in which payday lending was mostly unregulated. — Anjali Tsui, ProPublica, "How Payday Lenders Spent $1 Million at a Trump Resort — and Cashed In," 5 June 2019 But the patchwork nature of each state’s regulations shouldn’t cause a migraine. — Meredith Clark, Marie Claire, "Is CBD Even Legal Where You Live?," 12 Apr. 2019 The first is fixing the licensing system for cryptocurrency, which is currently a patchwork of 53 state licenses that a money transmitter has to get. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, "Meet Crypto's Meme King: 5 Questions for Neeraj Agrawal," 23 May 2018 There is a bewildering patchwork of state laws regarding medical and recreational marijuana use. — Christopher A. Rugaber, chicagotribune.com, "Small businesses grapple with maze of conflicting pot laws," 3 May 2018 States also grant waivers but can charge for things like the amount of time spent searching, sorting and redacting information, leading to a patchwork of fees nationwide. — Washington Post, "Hawaii denies request for phone logs related to false alert," 13 Mar. 2018 Bieber’s pieces were heavy on the stitching and patchwork, and color-blocked in green and navy. — Vogue, "Justin Bieber’s Coachella Comeback Featured a Crazy-Cool British Designer," 22 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'patchwork.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.