patrol

noun

pa·trol | \ pə-ˈtrōl

Definition of patrol

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the action of traversing a district or beat or of going the rounds along a chain of guards for observation or the maintenance of security

b : the person performing such an action

c : a unit of persons or vehicles employed for reconnaissance, security, or combat

2 : a subdivision of a Boy Scout troop or Girl Scout troop

patrol

verb

patrolled; patrolling

Definition of patrol (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to carry out a patrol

transitive verb

: to carry out a patrol of

Other Words from patrol Example Sentences Learn More about patrol

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Examples of patrol in a Sentence

Noun

The guard makes a patrol of the building every hour. Soldiers are on patrol along the border. Army patrols combed the area.

Verb

The squad had orders to patrol the area. The border is patrolled by the army.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The sheriff yanked his dog into the house, grabbed the keys to his patrol rig, and sprinted back out again. — Leah Sottile, Longreads, "Chapter One: A Quiet Man," 15 July 2019 Villanueva, who served at the East L.A. station for seven years as a young patrol deputy, has defended the logo as a source of pride that has nothing to do with the Banditos. — Maya Lau, latimes.com, "Deputy gangs have survived decades of lawsuits and probes. Can the FBI stop them?," 14 July 2019 Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern tweeted out a video of a group of migrants crowded behind a glass panel at the McAllen, Texas border patrol station. — Nikole Killion, CBS News, "Democrats push back on Pence's description of border facility," 13 July 2019 Masson told Fox News that the operation was part of the Munro’s first drug patrol since it was commissioned in April 2017. — Fox News, "Video shows dramatic jump by Guardsmen onto vessel laden with cocaine: officials," 12 July 2019 Browder pulled into a nearby alley, using his patrol car spotlight but not turning on his police lights. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Appeals court revives lawsuit over controversial 2015 SDPD shooting in Midway," 12 July 2019 Traffic Hazard, Fedeli Lane: While on patrol 1:35 p.m. July 8 an officer saw three youths riding a golf cart. — Joan Rusek, cleveland.com, "Unknown man lurks on man’s porch looking in windows: Russell Township police blotter," 12 July 2019 Last month, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison announced a new patrol strategy that would increase police presence in the most violent streets in the city. — Juliana Kim, baltimoresun.com, "‘This city is built to arrest people’: Roca, Baltimore Police, and experts strategize to combat gun violence in Baltimore," 12 July 2019 Increased patrols of the Cincinnati Police Department can’t be our only response. — Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "P.G. Sittenfeld responds to record violence: Hire community liaisons, keep recreation centers open until midnight," 11 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

State troopers operate on shoestring budgets, and decades of cuts have left Oregon with only 380 troopers to patrol more than 6,400 miles of highways. — CBS News, "Oregon Senate finishes whirlwind votes after Republicans stall session," 1 July 2019 Police distributed a photo of Shanahan to patrol cars on Bird Key. — Aaron C. Davis, BostonGlobe.com, "As Shanahan withdraws as Trump’s defense pick, he addresses violent domestic incidents," 18 June 2019 Nearly all of the Valley's suburbs have also fully deployed body cameras to patrol officers. — Jessica Boehm, azcentral, "Phoenix is the largest city in the nation without widespread police body cameras," 17 June 2019 The private university has proposed building a force of about 100 armed officers over three to five years to patrol on and around its three city campuses as violent crime has been on the rise. — Scott Calvert, WSJ, "Johns Hopkins Pushes for Armed Police on Campus," 1 Feb. 2019 The arbitrator cited the lack of medical evidence or other evidence in the complaint against Officer Alfonso Valadez Jr., who returned to patrol work in early April. — Maxine Bernstein, OregonLive.com, "Portland cop used 'bad judgment,' but no evidence of alleged sex assault, arbitrator says," 21 May 2018 The drone could be used to support ground troops in wars such as Afghanistan and against the Islamic State, delivering supplies to friendly columns patrolling miles from a forward operating base. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Marines’ Plywood Supply Drone Is Undergoing Flight Tests," 20 Mar. 2019 Fire safety personnel constantly patrol the structure to ensure that any blazes are caught as soon as possible. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "MPs Warn that the U.K.'s Parliament Building is Vulnerable to a Notre-Dame-Like Fire," 17 Apr. 2019 Daniel then fled on foot while the two officers called for backup from another officer patrolling the neighborhood in a marked police vehicle. — Kaylen Ralph, Teen Vogue, "Sacramento Police Released Dashcam Footage of an Officer Hitting a Fleeing Teen With an SUV," 20 Aug. 2018

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