patch 1 of 2

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
Some common symptoms include the need to pee more frequently, feeling extremely thirsty, having dry and itchy skin, and getting dark, velvety patches on the skin. Sherri Gordon, Health, 7 Sep. 2025 Keep it casual in sneakers, or wear it with suede ankle booties to the pumpkin patch. Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
All vulnerabilities mentioned in this post, particularly those with high severity ratings, should be patched as soon as possible. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2025 With its cozy imagery, from moonlit pumpkin patches to trick-or-treating in classic ghost costumes, this film has stood the test of time for six decades. Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patch
Noun
  • Gopher snakes tend to be tan-colored with large square brown blotches or saddles along their backs and smaller gray spots on their sides.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The baby was purple-gray-colored, in blotches; wet, smeared in blood and what looked like whitish wax.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 July 2025
Noun
  • Now for other people whose crepe myrtles look like yours, black bark and white specks are classic signs of crepe myrtle scales.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
  • There’s nothing worse than applying a full face of makeup, only for your best mascara to end up in smears or black specks across your face.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Research by John Gottman and colleagues shows that the most stable couples are those who can repair quickly after a rupture, within three minutes of a conflict, to be precise, so as to pre-emptively stop the conflict from rupturing into an uncontrollable one.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Inspired by oysters, the new glue is designed to repair broken bones quickly without the need for metal plates, screws, or big surgeries.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The public can be lulled into thinking impacts of a hurricane or tropical storm are along dots, lines, and cones seen on maps.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Even the smallest black dot of mold can affect your health by causing respiratory illnesses or triggering certain allergic reactions from breathing it in constantly.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In the course of his 50-plus-year writing career, there's been a good bit of debate over Stephen King's ability to deliver a satisfying ending.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This evolved into a prototype chiefly engineered by Burrell Smith, selecting for its CPU the 8-bit Motorola 6809 as an upgrade from the Apple II's MOS 6502 but still keeping costs low.
    Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Build systems and products that directly address and fix those harms.
    Brandon Aversano, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Yet none of this new global reality means that things are now fixed.
    John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Its black and white or brown flecks convey a fresh, modern feel that's ideal for breaking away from the tyranny of basics.
    María Munsuri, Glamour, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Although other pests cause similar damage, thrips damage is often associate with numerous small flecks of dark green to black fecal matter.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Depending on the reactor’s power, its flux will vary dramatically, reaching hundreds of millions of particles per square centimetre per second.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Shake out filters or tap on the side of the trash can to remove any large particles that may have stuck to the filters.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patch. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on patch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!