patronage

noun

pa·​tron·​age ˈpa-trə-nij  ˈpā- 

1

: advowson

2

: the support or influence of a patron

the patronage of science by universities

3

: kindness done with an air of superiority

The prince deigned to bestow his patronage on the composer.

4

: business or activity provided by patrons

the new branch library is expected to have a heavy patronage

5

a

: the power to make appointments to government jobs especially for political advantage

… oust his enemies from office and use the patronage to support his policies …

—H. K. Beale

b

: the distribution of jobs on the basis of patronage

The governor filled the vacated positions through patronage.

c

: jobs distributed by patronage

the government's vast network of patronage

Synonyms of patronage

• sponsorship

Examples of patronage in a Sentence

The college relied on the patronage of its wealthy graduates to expand its funds.

They thanked her for her patronage of the new hospital.

The city should do more to encourage patronage of local businesses.

a system of political patronage

Recent Examples on the Web

Transitioning to full patronage support, community engagement should increase and improve project longevity. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026

It’s also written by those with ready access to pen, paper, and, in many cases, patronage. —Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026

Through much of the 19th century plenty of American journalists were either directly on the government payroll or had sideline patronage jobs working as political party operatives. —Corey Hutchins, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026

The event commemorated the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth on the 100th anniversary of her birth, bringing together representatives from a selection of her many patronages and centenarians celebrating their 100th birthdays on April 21. —Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

patronage

noun

pa·​tron·​age ˈpa-trə-nij  ˈpā- 

1

: the support or influence of a patron

2

: business or activity provided by patrons

3

: the power to give out government jobs, contracts, or favors