Synonyms of patronize

patronize

verb

ˈpā-trə-ˌnīz 

1

as in to condescend

to assume or treat with an air of superiority

a director with an unpleasant habit of patronizing even his most gifted actors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• condescend
• lord (it over)
• cut
• talk down (to)
• slight
• queen (it over)
• snub
• cold-shoulder
• high-hat

2

as in to endorse

to promote the interests or cause of

a company that loyally patronizes the arts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• endorse
• advocate
• support
• adopt
• embrace
• help
• champion
• back
• assist
• stand up for
• go in for
• aid
• stick up for
• plunk (for)
• hold a brief for
• reinforce
• plump (for)
• plonk (for)
• go to bat for
• preach
• espouse
• save
• abet
• bolster
• forward
• rescue
• further
• buttress
• second
• side (with)
• prop (up)
• advance
• boost
• bail out
• backstop
• plug
• talk up
• deliver

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• oppose
• interfere
• thwart
• frustrate
• sabotage
• fail
• disappoint
• let down
• desert
• baffle
• foil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of patronize

Beaverbrook is a five-star country house hotel that was once patronized by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and other 20th-century celebrities. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026

Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also have patronized the tavern. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

The new series, too, features a law-enforcement culture where disinterest in gendered violence is the norm, and cops knowingly patronize establishments that traffic underage girls. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026

Penelope is unable to just govern Ithaca herself and is besieged by the suitors and patronized by her son; Helen is kidnapped by Paris (or is given to him as a prize by Aphrodite or elopes with him), setting off the Trojan War. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026