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
Many companies have adopted point solutions to address specific needs or manage particular tasks, creating a patchwork of disconnected technologies and inefficient data silos.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
With no federal law protecting online information and just a patchwork of state privacy laws, many Americans are confused and concerned about how their online information is used, according to surveys by the Pew Research Center.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Injuries prompted the 49ers to start a patchwork defensive front, and Geno Smith took advantage from the jump with a play-action pass that found Brock Bowers for a 28-yard gain down the right sideline against safety Ji’Ayir Brown.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
A number of factors contributed, including de-institutionalization without provisions for housing or social services starting in the 1950s, government cuts to housing, and an underfunded, patchwork mental health care system.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
With no federal law protecting online information and just a patchwork of state privacy laws, many Americans are confused and concerned about how their online information is used, according to surveys by the Pew Research Center.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Injuries prompted the 49ers to start a patchwork defensive front, and Geno Smith took advantage from the jump with a play-action pass that found Brock Bowers for a 28-yard gain down the right sideline against safety Ji’Ayir Brown.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
A number of factors contributed, including de-institutionalization without provisions for housing or social services starting in the 1950s, government cuts to housing, and an underfunded, patchwork mental health care system.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 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 24 Aug. 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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