as in to guard
to walk or go around or through (an area, building, etc.) especially in order to make sure that it is safe
The squad had orders to patrol the area. The border is patrolled by the army.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patrol
Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 23 Mar. 2026
The judge ordered Arguello-Acosta, a Salvadoran national who was previously detained by border patrol agents as a child, held on $350,000 bail on the two charges.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Crews worked overnight Sunday to contain a wildfire in Bastrop State Park, cutting fire lines and patrolling nearby neighborhoods for spot fires.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Noun
When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver accelerated and fled, prompting a pursuit involving an APD helicopter and multiple patrol units.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 23 Mar. 2026
The judge ordered Arguello-Acosta, a Salvadoran national who was previously detained by border patrol agents as a child, held on $350,000 bail on the two charges.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The president Monday said ICE agents should not wear masks covering their faces while patrolling airports.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Crews worked overnight Sunday to contain a wildfire in Bastrop State Park, cutting fire lines and patrolling nearby neighborhoods for spot fires.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patrol
Noun
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The soldiers would have stayed as sentries before and after the performance, symbolically guarding the legacy of Taiwan’s founder.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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Police had taped off several square blocks around Sixth Street, while local police and federal authorities, including Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents, were at the site, according to Austin police officers serving as sentries.—
Jack Myer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Adebayo found a rhythm in the second half, scoring 15 points in the final two quarters while being guarded by reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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At the turn of the twentieth century, perfumery was widely regarded as a European inheritance—guarded by Paris and Grasse, shaped by centuries of ritual and refinement.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The immersive-entertainment company’s alien theme fits well within the surreal sculptures at its Denver outpost as designers and models take the stage at its Perplexiplex venue for a night of beautiful and bizarre creations.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
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The luxury hotel brand’s first outpost in Tokyo only opened in autumn 2025, but its faultlessly helpful staff seem to have already accrued a generation’s worth of Japanese hospitality.—
Stephen Kelly,
TheWeek,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, a lack of Democratic support for weakening the filibuster prevented them from passing that legislation, but Republicans were also vehemently opposed and leaned on arguments about protecting states’ rights.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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In May, the state attorney general's office will return to court to seek a judge's order that the company makes changes to its systems to protect children.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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With the rise of incel content and tradwife propaganda on social media networks, America may be more fixated on the picket-fence ideal than ever.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
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Some went to court to challenge government refusals to authorize pickets, while others scaled them back to smaller indoor gatherings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Score is kept, and levels such as space ace, cosmic commando and galactic hero are achieved.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Below, the troops run toward a Taliban position during a British commando offensive.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The watch is for Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson, Platte, Clay, Jackson, Atchison, Miami, Linn, Doniphan, Nodaway, Worth, Gentry, Harrison, Mercer, Holt, Andrew, De Kalb, Daviess, Buchanan, Clinton, Caldwell, Ray and Cass counties.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
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Cries from the group were heard over the sounds of the end-of-watch call booming through the park.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The north was expected to be America’s rear guard, a place where values like democracy and women’s rights might have taken hold.—
Azam Ahmed,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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And assassins from a coalition of all the local indigenous tribes — out for blood over the murder of Jimmy the Creek, one of their own, last episode — slit the throats of Ming’s rear guard.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patrol. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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