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
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2
as in to endorse
to promote the interests or cause of a company that loyally patronizes the arts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 patronize They are patronized by families on their third and fourth generations. —
Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2026 Many were independently wealthy and patronized the arts and architecture. —Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Mar. 2026 Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 1 Mar. 2026 At Manhattan’s Metropolis Vintage—a sprawling destination that has been patronized by A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, and Drake—that legacy is on full display. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patronize
Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2026 Many were independently wealthy and patronized the arts and architecture. —Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Mar. 2026 Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 1 Mar. 2026 At Manhattan’s Metropolis Vintage—a sprawling destination that has been patronized by A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, and Drake—that legacy is on full display. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patronize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronize
Verb
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Its relentlessly upbeat, hand-holding style has drawn constant criticism for coming across as condescending.— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 Apr. 2026
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Michelle tries to correct the record, with her babydoll voice, and Jasmine starts yelling at her and telling her not to condescend to her and talk to her like a child.— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fonda, a climate activist, endorsed Steyer earlier this month.— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
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But plans changed when King and the Jackson Estate — which endorsed the project — were faced with a legal issue when a Jackson accuser who had a past settlement with the estate guaranteeing he would never be featured in a dramatization, objected.— Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The work to create routes takes time and money — and a push from community members advocating for a trail doesn’t hurt either.— Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
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Such an outcome would restore funding to border and immigration enforcement priorities while sidestepping all of the structural reforms Democratic lawmakers spent months advocating after sweeping immigration enforcement action in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis.— Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When the Broncos cut Greenlaw, the 49ers wasted no time in bringing him back to pair with middle linebacker Fred Warner in hopes of reviving one of the NFL’s top linebacker tandems.— Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
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Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen cut their teeth as part of the Rams organization, learning from GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay.— Mark Long, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Pahlavi in Berlin called on Europeans to do more to support Iranian people fighting for democracy.— Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
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Instead of relying solely on a few flagship machines, China appears to be building a dense and interconnected infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale AI applications across industries.— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patronize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/patronize. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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