as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
on the issue of raising taxes the governor stands pat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perfectly
without any flaws or errors
after months of practicing for the competition, the cheerleaders have their moves down pat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
affectionately patted the baby on the head
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples of pat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Shapiro, Chron, 3 Feb. 2023
Season 1 of Emily in Paris introduced Mindy Chen, Emily’s instant bestie and fellow ex-pat living in the City of Love.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 22 Dec. 2022
Bon Appetit, 14 May 2018
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
—Fox News, 14 Feb. 2018
Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2024
Before his elimination, Jeremy—who was one of Jenn’s few finalists who didn’t receive much screen time along with Jonathon—went viral for a clip of him unconsciously patting Jenn’s hair in Week 4.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pat 
Adjective
Houston's likely route this February is likely to stand relatively pat, with a Gordon trade (don't hold your breath waiting on a major haul in return) as the only deal on the immediate horizon.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 3 Feb. 2023
Season 1 of Emily in Paris introduced Mindy Chen, Emily’s instant bestie and fellow ex-pat living in the City of Love.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 22 Dec. 2022
Adverb
Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to cool; pat dry.
—Bon Appetit, 14 May 2018
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
—Fox News, 14 Feb. 2018
Verb
That included general manager John Lynch, who exchanged a handshake and patted Aiyuk on the back, more as a greeting than any congratulations on a new deal, be it with the 49ers or the Steelers.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2024
Before his elimination, Jeremy—who was one of Jenn’s few finalists who didn’t receive much screen time along with Jonathon—went viral for a clip of him unconsciously patting Jenn’s hair in Week 4.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pat
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near pat
Cite this Entry
“Pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pat. Accessed 18 Sep. 2024.
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