Definition of patchnext

patch

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb patch contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of patch are mend, rebuild, and repair. While all these words mean "to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective," patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

When can mend be used instead of patch?

While the synonyms mend and patch are close in meaning, mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

When is it sensible to use rebuild instead of patch?

The words rebuild and patch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

When would repair be a good substitute for patch?

The meanings of repair and patch largely overlap; however, repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of patch
Noun
Not far from the home, about 50 yards into the woods, a disturbed dirt patch prompted investigators to look further. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026 The broad flat was covered in tundra with patches of gravel and a few small stands of pine and willow. — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 11 Nov. 2026
Verb
Motorola is patching a hole in its US lineup with a non-folding flagship phone, but the pricing puts this device dangerously close to the company’s expensive tablet-style foldable. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026 For the companies and organisations affected, the simplest fix is to patch their software systems. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patch
Noun
  • Doctors detected abnormal breath sounds, and a scan revealed a round blotch in his right lung—a sign of blood, pus, fluid or tissue—but tests for common pathogens came back negative.
    — Rachel Melegrito, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The pair are flip sides of the same coin; Kinney a speck of blue running in a red state, and Austin a Republican running in the Democratic stronghold of Connecticut.
    — Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Chips could be destroyed by even a speck of dust, so factories became impregnable clean rooms, their workers clad in bunny suits.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that work was already underway to repair the city's Northern Bridge and that water pressure in Kyiv had been stabilized.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • In a statement, the CAC leadership acknowledged the fissures created by Skolnick’s ouster, as well as the need to repair relationships and address the non-profit’s financial challenges.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • On the ensuing 4-on-4, Bennett took advantage of the extra space, carrying the puck from the neutral zone to the faceoff dot before ripping a wrist shot just under the crossbar to give Florida a 3-1 lead.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • But as The Fork and Knife unfolds, these nods to past output begin to make sense as Skepta starts to join the dots of a varied and storied career.
    — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Jama took to social media to share a goodbye message with some of her best bits from the ITV reality series.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But, unfortunately, got a little bit tangled up and fell awkward.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The Stronger Start for Working Families Act, if passed and signed into law, fixes this flawed phase-in by rewarding parents’ work from their first dollar of income.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Then practice active listening, without trying to fix, advise or respond.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • In addition, since all this debris is moving at orbital velocity, a fleck of paint traveling in the opposite direction to an operational satellite can hit it at a speed in excess of Mach 47.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Earning a ghostly reputation by avoiding gravity and nuclear forces, these abundant particles stream through us daily without leaving a single trace.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The dark particles coat white snow and soak up heat from the sun, exacerbating melting that was already happening more quickly because of climate change.
    — Connie Hanzhang Jin, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patch. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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