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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
Life insurance and annuities are governed by a patchwork of state laws, federal agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and oversight from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Federal Insurance Office (FIO).
—
Sam Henry, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Last week, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection unveiled a proposal to trade away more than 600 acres of conserved land in the Guana River Wildlife Management Area in exchange for a patchwork of parcels across the state.
—Max Chesnes, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
But experts and controllers have long warned that the patchwork of radios and radars connecting the network needs urgent upgrades.
—Melanie Hicken, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Even Gorsuch expressed concern about the chaos of a patchwork of citizenship rules.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Twin Cities, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sam Henry, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Last week, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection unveiled a proposal to trade away more than 600 acres of conserved land in the Guana River Wildlife Management Area in exchange for a patchwork of parcels across the state.
—Max Chesnes, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
But experts and controllers have long warned that the patchwork of radios and radars connecting the network needs urgent upgrades.
—Melanie Hicken, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Even Gorsuch expressed concern about the chaos of a patchwork of citizenship rules.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Twin Cities, 20 May 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 10 Jun. 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
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