1
a
: 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
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol
: to carry out a patrol of
patroller
noun
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
Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
The character is a former tactical officer demoted to patrol by her supervisor after noting his tendencies to avoid any real work to preserve his pension.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
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Noun
Hughes and others began resisting orders in passive ways, showing up late or taking patrols extra slowly.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
According to Senderhaufand, National Park Service law enforcement will continue to patrol the Park, but educational and informational programs hosted by National Park Service staff and volunteers will not take place during the federal shutdown.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
The character is a former tactical officer demoted to patrol by her supervisor after noting his tendencies to avoid any real work to preserve his pension.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Cite this Entry
“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrol. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patrol
1 of 2 noun
pa·trol
pə-ˈtrōl 
1
a
: the action of going the rounds of an area for observation or guard
b
: the person or group doing the patrolling
2
: a part of a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop
patrol
2 of 2 verb
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol or a patrol of
patroller
noun
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