How to Use pattern in a Sentence

pattern

1 of 2 noun
  • The shadows made a pattern of lines on the ground.
  • The dishes have a floral pattern around the rim.
  • The fabric comes in different colors and patterns.
  • The trees followed a characteristic pattern of growth.
  • The rug is decorated with a geometric pattern.
  • They are studying behavior patterns among high-school students.
  • Analysts are noticing different spending patterns by consumers.
  • That pattern is set to flip as the year draws to a close.
    Paul Hannon, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022
  • But the contours of the count track with the larger pattern of the vote.
    The Editors, National Review, 5 Nov. 2020
  • The blue Starburst Tile pattern ties the room to the rest of the home.
    Laura Fenton, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2020
  • At the crux of these costs is the effect of the time shift on our sleep patterns.
    David Wagner, chicagotribune.com, 9 Mar. 2018
  • Clues to this pattern emerged from other parts of the world.
    Geeta Anand, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2017
  • It’s hard to find a pattern that will last a long time.
    Laura Mauk-Caines, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Feb. 2018
  • My old pattern is to be kind of detached, to be avoidant of the present.
    Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 12 May 2020
  • Repeat the same line pattern along one edge of the belt and tie over the broadcloth at the waist.
    Rebekah Lowin, Country Living, 9 July 2019
  • But some of these patterns are not a product of chance.
    Joe Pinsker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2020
  • This should be one of their good games based on the recent pattern.
    Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 7 Dec. 2021
  • The front chest pocket is cut by hand to match up with the flannel pattern on the rest of the shirt.
    The Editors, Outside Online, 12 July 2018
  • That pattern should change this season — for the worse.
    New York Times, 7 Sep. 2022
  • If the pattern holds, the video will be a monster hit, too.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2017
  • They get lost in their fears and in old patterns of self-loathing.
    Jerry Colonna, Quartz at Work, 14 June 2019
  • Our brains are good enough at finding the patterns on their own.
    Robbie Gonzalez, WIRED, 21 Apr. 2018
  • And there was no clear pattern in the number of neurons in the brainstem.
    John Timmer, Ars Technica, 12 July 2022
  • To some extent, this is a pattern in many parts of the country.
    Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2023
  • The pants and socks are also swamp green, but don’t have the scaly pattern.
    Michelle Kaufman, miamiherald, 10 Oct. 2017
  • Arrange the dough strips in a lattice pattern on top of the peach filling.
    Eric and Shanna Jones, USA TODAY, 2 June 2022
  • But there are some who are growing tired of this pattern.
    Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2019
  • Farmers aren't the only ones who have seen the dry pattern.
    Caleb Stultz, The Courier-Journal, 23 June 2022
  • And not, like, cute small photos of his face in a pattern.
    Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 21 Sep. 2017
  • Her platform boots match the feather-like pattern on the dress.
    Vogue, 7 May 2018
Advertisement

pattern

2 of 2 verb
  • This is a basic tart recipe that can be used to make any patterned tart.
    Julia O'Malley, Anchorage Daily News, 5 July 2019
  • One thing to note: The back of this pillow isn't patterned like the front.
    Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2023
  • Beyond that, the soles should have patterned treads to keep you steady on wet or slushy ground.
    Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2023
  • One young woman wore a scarf patterned with the Star of David.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2023
  • Our test gun shucked smoothly, shot straight, and patterned well.
    Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2023
  • The idea is to use shading and patterning to fool the eye into seeing slimmer legs and butts.
    Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2018
  • Even the mail room has panache, with brass fixtures and patterned wallpaper.
    John King, SFChronicle.com, 2 July 2018
  • And these trendsetters brought in a decade with mini bags, patterned suits and bustiers.
    Nandi Howard, Essence, 3 Jan. 2020
  • He was stretched out on the couch, which was draped in a large blanket patterned like the American flag.
    Michael Corkery, New York Times, 29 July 2023
  • The event is patterned closely after bull riding, down to the lingo and scoring.
    John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 17 Feb. 2020
  • The third and fourth items are striped—not hallucinogenic-patterned!
    Shape.com, Woman's Day, 1 May 2012
  • For the event, Gage wore a black and white patterned top and matching pants, a white shirt and a pair of white sneakers.
    Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 30 Apr. 2023
  • One of the bird-like feathers, meanwhile, appears to have been patterned with dark bands.
    Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020
  • Note the custom curtains, patterned to match the wallpaper.
    Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2023
  • Across from the living room is a dining room that has patterned stone floors and a fireplace with an ornate mantel.
    Julie Lasky, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2020
  • Tiffany Haddish also hit the right notes in a metallic and patterned jumpsuit.
    Carolina Gonzales, Houston Chronicle, 10 June 2018
  • For a quick way to style curls on the go, take that same nighttime hair routine and bring it to the day with a patterned or colorful silk scarf.
    Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, 3 Apr. 2017
  • The gay rights movement largely is patterned after the racial civil rights movement.
    Dahleen Glanton, chicagotribune.com, 11 Dec. 2017
  • Wiley’s style is to place his subject against a busy, patterned background.
    Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 12 Feb. 2018
  • There's an outer shell and a patterned down lining than can be worn on its own and also flipped inside out.
    The Editors Of Gq, GQ, 3 Nov. 2017
  • But the large one was patterned after one at a favorite childhood place where Peg picnicked.
    Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 June 2018
  • For girls, any clothing that's faded, dark or patterned will work.
    Shanon Maglente, Good Housekeeping, 4 Sep. 2023
  • Maisonette has brightly printed and patterned cotton face masks in small, medium and large sizes.
    oregonlive, 15 May 2020
  • Limit patterned fabrics to one set of pillows per sofa.
    Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Its scent is patterned after that of two different types of roses, while camellia oil makes the hair shine.
    The Editors, WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019
  • Food will be patterned after what folks ate at Hogwarts School in the dining hall.
    Sheryl Devore, Lake County News-Sun, 7 June 2018
  • Lizzo nailed winter dressing with this patterned brown jacket and dress.
    Georgina Kim, Glamour, 29 Nov. 2019
  • From cowboy boots and patterned dresses to evening gowns and white boots, there is not a shortage of options with this fun trend this season.
    Nandi Howard, Essence, 8 Nov. 2019
  • Here, pops of lime green and navy enter in the form of patterned throw pillows to dress up an otherwise neutral color scheme.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2023
  • The main character for her 'fit was a blue and white patterned zip-up jacket dress with a neckline that dropped to show a slice of cleavage.
    Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 9 Mar. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pattern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: