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
Along with apples and baked goods, the ranches offer hay rides, fishing ponds, pony rides, pumpkin patches and other activities. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026 The bigger issue is prolonged, concentrated heat directly over the patch — think a heating pad, electric blanket, very hot bath, sauna or heated car seat. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
Much to Charles Spencer and the public’s surprise, Diana appeared to patch things up with Raine in the last few years of her life. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 22 Sep. 2026 Where his focus has been following the Dolphins’ special team unit’s disastrous performance in Miami’s 27-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders is patching the leaks that led to three massive returns to the Raiders and a missing a field-goal attempt. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patch
Noun
  • 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
  • Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The period is 2006, when the golden age of streamable content is barely a speck on the media horizon.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • To make matters worse, the Houthis have captured new terrain in Yemen and acquired Perim Island, a speck of land inside the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint that better positions the Yemeni militia to intercept oil tankers.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Shortstop Jacob Wilson had surgery to repair a left shoulder injury and played 80.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, local Church leaders hope the pope's visit will repair the Church's standing after a crushing 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.
    — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Users can access dots through OpenAI's ChatGPT platform, Altman said, adding that in the future, people will be able to converse with the agents by phone and text.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Complexity Adding another location does much more than adding another dot to a map.
    — Tushar Mishra, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • That bit of advice was as fruitful to Larry Golden as that swimming scholarship.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026
  • By balancing the speed of physical random number generators with the clarity of their signals, the new device principle, in theory, can achieve processing speed yielding high bit-rate with signal clarity and stochasticity.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for NASA after a three-week delay to fix their Dragon capsule's leaking fuel system.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has tried to fix this before.
    — John Mildenberger, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Add the torn basil and process just until incorporated -- there will be flecks of green in the mixture.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Some kits include stone-like chips or flecks to scatter over the surface of the wet paint for a realistic effect.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The rule also translates to an extra 90 tons a year of soot particles and 4,870 additional tons a year of smog components such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted into the air in coming years, experts say.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • When transitioning from hard flooring to rugs or carpets, the system automatically adjusts suction levels and modifies its brush roll behavior to maximize particle pickup while preventing hair entanglements around the main rollers.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patch. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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