Illustration of patchwork
- patchwork 2
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
On the whole, greater consistency throughout a larger geographic footprint is achieved by statewide bans, rather than patchwork county or township bans.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 19 June 2025
Her first Ives purchase was a patchwork dress made from deadstock vintage T-shirts.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
The Central City Mobility Project, which includes a mix of street conversions, bikeway upgrades and signal improvements, is backed by a patchwork of state and local funding sources.
—Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
President Donald Trump’s proclamation Wednesday restricting entry into the United States for nationals from a patchwork of 19 countries revives one of his most controversial policies from his first term and targets many of the same countries.
—Jocelyn Shek, NBC news, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
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Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 19 June 2025
Her first Ives purchase was a patchwork dress made from deadstock vintage T-shirts.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
The Central City Mobility Project, which includes a mix of street conversions, bikeway upgrades and signal improvements, is backed by a patchwork of state and local funding sources.
—Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
President Donald Trump’s proclamation Wednesday restricting entry into the United States for nationals from a patchwork of 19 countries revives one of his most controversial policies from his first term and targets many of the same countries.
—Jocelyn Shek, NBC news, 6 June 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 30 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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