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patch

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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
Protection of Embellished and Textured Fabrics Garments with embroidery, beading, sequins, or patches can be damaged in the washer if the embellishments snag on a button or snap. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025 These smaller patches install automatically without waiting for the next iOS version, helping your device stay protected against new threats with less effort. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
The hack, which an Opera spokesperson told NBC News has since been patched, worked if a person creating a webpage simply included certain text that is coded to be invisible to the user. Kevin Collier, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025 Keep your windows closed and patch any holes in screens to deter moths from entering your home. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patch
Noun
  • Photos show the Maratus australis spider, which has an intricate pattern of blue and brown blotches edged with bright teal and red-orange stripes.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The one blemish — or ugly blotch — was that crushing 7-2 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain last week.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.
    Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter These workers install and repair the systems that move water, gas, chemicals and steam in homes and businesses.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Swanson has already had surgeries to repair an artery in his calf and repair his tibia bone.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else.
    Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
  • In the western part of the state, Radford, Montgomery, Roanoke City, Martinsville and Danville, Lynchburg and Lexington voted for Spanberger, blue dots in a sea of red.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Like so many other bits of Times coverage, the whole of the piece is structured as an orchestrated encounter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Lyon’s magnetism touches the entire cast, but her bits with both Killam’s Boone and Chenoweth’s Tammy really leap off the screen.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The White House pushed back against that characterization and argued the administration only aims to fix the years of politically motivated enforcement that occurred under Democrats and their holdovers.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025
  • For example, the tests measure AI’s ability to fix inconsistencies in customer invoices Excel spreadsheets for an imaginary sales analyst role, or AI’s ability to create a full production schedule for a 60-second video shoot for an imaginary video producer.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Nice vanilla bean flecks and round, fatty flavor with only the subtlest hint of coconut.
    Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
  • And Abrams-Draine still managed to emerge with just a few flecks of soot after getting thrown in the fire last season, picking off Justin Herbert in a loss to the Chargers and establishing himself as a building block in a spot start.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • China’s ambitious plan to build the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC), a multibillion-dollar project aimed at creating the world’s largest particle collider, is likely to be officially stalled after it was not included in the country’s next five-year plan.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2025
  • This picks up any dirt or dust particles that may be lying on your mattress and contributing to a less-than-sanitary environment.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patch. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.

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