as in guarding
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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Recent Examples of patrolling
To see armed soldiers patrolling there is to see force imposed on a place built for conversation, exchange and civic trust.
—
Eric Chastain, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
Crews were on scene patrolling ofr a cause, Moreno said.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The Healy has been patrolling the Arctic alongside the national security cutter USCGC Waesche since Saturday.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
On the night of Cook’s death, Shahin was in charge of checking on fire alarms at the complex, while Mohamed was tasked with patrolling the building to make sure there were no transients and no one was breaking into residents’ cars, according to court filings.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
If the Guard comes, it will be limited to patrolling our city’s gleaming streets in the privileged heart of the city.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Soldiers patrolling the capital of a constitutional democracy.
—Aron Solomon
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Perez-Engel was spotted by a Clay County sheriff’s deputy patrolling the area, Boyd said in the release.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
When federal agents start patrolling my own streets?
—Lauren Grodstein, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2025
Eric Chastain, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
Crews were on scene patrolling ofr a cause, Moreno said.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The Healy has been patrolling the Arctic alongside the national security cutter USCGC Waesche since Saturday.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
On the night of Cook’s death, Shahin was in charge of checking on fire alarms at the complex, while Mohamed was tasked with patrolling the building to make sure there were no transients and no one was breaking into residents’ cars, according to court filings.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
If the Guard comes, it will be limited to patrolling our city’s gleaming streets in the privileged heart of the city.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Soldiers patrolling the capital of a constitutional democracy.
—Aron Solomon
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Perez-Engel was spotted by a Clay County sheriff’s deputy patrolling the area, Boyd said in the release.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
When federal agents start patrolling my own streets?
—Lauren Grodstein, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patrolling
Verb
-
Whomever the safeties were guarding.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Strong support for keeping those requirements comes from existing homeowners guarding the value of their homes, their greatest investment, speakers said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Not in our communities, but protecting assets & high priority targets downtown so that our @Chicago_Police don’t have to babysit the Bean or Buckingham Fountain for eight hours a day.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Terranea has been committed to protecting wildlife habitats and enhancing local water quality.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patrolling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patrolling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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