as in model
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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Recent Examples of patron saint
The same guy once celebrated by the likes of Bill Hancock, patron saint of all that’s good about college athletics, for championing the trusty, musty two-team field is on record this week that a 12-team playoff works so well that 16 might not be so bad after all.
—
Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
The fourth century’s Cassian of Imola—patron saint of shorthand writers and court reporters, and apparently a strict teacher—was so irritating that a judge condemned him to be tortured to death by his own students, who stabbed him with their styli and school supplies.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In March, the city erupts for Las Fallas, Valencia’s biggest festival, a riotous display of bonfires, fireworks, and parades honoring Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.
—Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Santa Claus, the mythic figure who brings gifts late at night on Christmas Eve, is thought to be the patron saint of children.
—Literary Hub, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patron saint
Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
The fourth century’s Cassian of Imola—patron saint of shorthand writers and court reporters, and apparently a strict teacher—was so irritating that a judge condemned him to be tortured to death by his own students, who stabbed him with their styli and school supplies.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In March, the city erupts for Las Fallas, Valencia’s biggest festival, a riotous display of bonfires, fireworks, and parades honoring Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.
—Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Santa Claus, the mythic figure who brings gifts late at night on Christmas Eve, is thought to be the patron saint of children.
—Literary Hub, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patron saint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patron saint
Noun
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Microsoft’s $50 billion investment will, among other things, help to build the data centers crucial to providing the computing power needed to run AI models.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Local designers will present an expert presentation on the slow fashion movement that addresses the urgent need to move towards more sustainable models in the fashion and retail industries.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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To turn this idea into something practical, the team first grew a large, uniform sheet of monolayer MoS₂ on a 4-inch wafer.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Listed with Chad Carroll and Michelle Suegart of The Chad Carroll Group, Villa De Casuarina captures the kind of Miami luxury that isn’t trying too hard—expansive, private, and built around the simple idea that the best amenity might still be stepping from your backyard onto a boat.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For example, Mermentau Cove previously used Mardi Gras funds to construct a pavilion for their graveyard and add flags to veterans' graves.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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For example, media scrutiny and social media attention around an executive’s relationship with Epstein could cost a Wall Street bank a lucrative role advising on an IPO or a mega merger.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In fact, there are dozens, including a 1988 Japanese incarnation, a 2015 retelling set in a California high school, and several versions from India, a Bollywood musical among them.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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She is expected to take on a supporting/guest role in the NBC incarnation.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At the time, Vance shocked allies with an address accusing Europe of abandoning commitments to free speech, religious liberty, and other democratic ideals.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Feb. 2026
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Many slaves, Murray noted, internalized this ideal of American freedom despite their own subjugation.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patron saint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patron%20saint. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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