PATRONS Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

patrons

noun

plural of patron

as in customers

a person who buys a product or uses a service from a business a restaurant patron

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sponsors

a person who takes the responsibility for some other person or thing the wealthy philanthropist is one of the city's most generous patrons of its symphony orchestra

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in donors

one that helps another with gifts or money the patron for the museum's current blockbuster is the city's biggest banking institution

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of patrons The man in the white shirt appears limp as fellow bar patrons walk in to check on him, and the bartender covers her mouth in apparent shock. — Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 24 Aug. 2026 The Vision Theatre’s reopening is expected to bring thousands of new patrons to Leimert Park, giving surrounding small businesses an opportunity to boost their bottom lines. — Lamonica Peters, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Some of these same patrons left with more items, but free, such as toy and snack giveaways plus informational literature. — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Likewise, when crime bosses become international liabilities that could hamper Beijing’s relations with other countries, or when their political patrons fall and there are fewer political costs to targeting them, Beijing will act. — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026 At the drugstore on the corner of Middle and Pollock streets, patrons had their first taste of an old favorite under a new name. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026 The bar is also hosting watch parties, and patrons can expect the Grey Goose team to pop in throughout the tournament to offer samples. — Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Kulusich says she's witnessed other Disneyland patrons touch character actors or ask them inappropriate questions. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 The Buñuelian skeptic in me also shirks at Fried’s approving references to Diderot’s petite église invisible, the small hidden church whose members—painters, critics, curators, patrons—are the vision-gifted serious pursuers of art history. — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for patrons

Noun

BlackBerry sells encrypted and secure communications products to customers like governments.

— Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Potential customers could include defense manufacturers, semiconductor producers, energy storage developers and electric vehicle companies.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of customers

Noun

After Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as lead sponsors and honorary chairs of the 2026 Met Gala, multiple sources say Wintour had hoped the couple might return as major patrons in 2027.

— Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
The total cost of the tour will end up just under $120,000, and our tour sponsors will cover the entire cost.

— Daren Smith, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of sponsors

Noun

China also pays plasma donors, but caps donations at every fortnight, up to 24 times a year – far fewer times than the US, where donors can roll up their sleeves up to twice a week, 104 times a year.

— CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
The Franklin and Hamilton statues are from anonymous donors, according to the White House.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of donors

Noun

Defense attorneys in both cases argued that the defendants’ intent was in question, raising in argument the possibility that their clients were not trying to cause serious bodily injury or death.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Kaufman was a Jewish émigré from Buenos Aires who had clients in Manhattan and had been commissioned to build another house on the island for shoe designer Danny Berk.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of clients

Noun

The government said Khan’s supporters had begun gathering outside the private hospital in violation of the court order, which required them to stay away from the medical facility to avoid inconveniencing other patients.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Lindsay Clancy supporters rally for her as critics question where kids' advocates are.

— , FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of supporters

Noun

Special guests across select dates include Robyn, Shania Twain, Jamie xx, Jorja Smith, Fousheé, Fcukers and Skye Newman.

— Karla Cote, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
The latter section compares God to a generous host, who similarly protects his guests, providing safety and abundance.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of guests

Noun

After Gretchen Whitmer, the state’s popular Democratic governor, endorsed Stevens last week, El-Sayed explained the choice as the inevitable product of the two women’s benefactors.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Working with patrons Anadol counters that anyone can have free access to the models his studio develops, and that there's nothing new about contemporary artists' relationships with rich and powerful benefactors.

— Chloe Veltman, NPR, 29 July 2026