as in models
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
around the statehouse he's known as the patron saint of partisan politics
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patron saints
Anybody heading into the spring with a seasonably cheerful and rosy view of world affairs will be well-met by the return of the patron saints of drone metal, pulling on their cloaks to herald our everlong winter.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
There the grave still is, of Ireland’s three patron saints, under a granite slab added at the start of the 20th century to stop pilgrims stealing soil from the site.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the tribute to Nancy Guthrie outside her home keeps growing, with flowers, yellow ribbons, crosses, prayers and patron saints for older adults and in desperate situations.
—Jacques Billeaud, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
There the grave still is, of Ireland’s three patron saints, under a granite slab added at the start of the 20th century to stop pilgrims stealing soil from the site.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the tribute to Nancy Guthrie outside her home keeps growing, with flowers, yellow ribbons, crosses, prayers and patron saints for older adults and in desperate situations.
—Jacques Billeaud, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patron saints
Noun
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DriveSavers retains a personal shopper in Shenzhen to track down elusive models.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The remarkable feat represents a big stride for China in its technological rivalry with the US, which has thus far boasted more sophisticated humanoid models.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Barnes and Imam had been trading ideas with a scholar named Andrew Willard Jones, whose work focussed on the model of Christendom found in, say, High Middle Ages France, where society was organized around its relationship with the Church.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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The script throws a lot of ideas out there and, refreshingly, none of them is to be taken as dogma, especially not Julian’s comment about who has the right to judge art.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There are more examples of such calculations.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
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The Bengals have a long history of finding productive defensive linemen in the middle rounds of the draft, with the 2010 draft adding Carlos Dunlap (Round 2) and Geno Atkins (Round 4) as the most notable examples.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In all, 12 Terrells have worked at AT&T or its various incarnations.—
Thomas C. Zambito,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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There have been several incarnations since, all with shapeshifting powers that transform their drippy clay body structures; all have been adversaries of Batman.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patron saints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patron%20saints. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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