as in to guard
to walk or go around or through (an area, building, etc.) especially in order to make sure that it is safe
The squad had orders to patrol the area. The border is patrolled by the army.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patrol
Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
While no one was hurt, pieces of metal were documented striking a CHP patrol cruiser, said to be part of Vice President JD Vance’s detail.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025
Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2025
Soldiers with automatic rifles were also seen patrolling the scene, AFP reported.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Verb
Military members, law enforcement officers, border patrol agents, and air traffic controllers are required to continue working to maintain public safety and national security.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
While no one was hurt, pieces of metal were documented striking a CHP patrol cruiser, said to be part of Vice President JD Vance’s detail.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
The number of police officers patrolling the streets has increased for the first time since the pandemic, though the force is still 500 shy of its staffing goal.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2025
Soldiers with automatic rifles were also seen patrolling the scene, AFP reported.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patrol
Verb
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Rulers, by contrast, tend to jealously guard their dignity.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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Kings guard DeMar DeRozan, a future Hall of Famer who ranks 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, agreed with Schroder’s assessment.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Reenactors portraying British sentries were bum-rushed by a swarm of whooping Green Mountain Boys.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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But now, as California enters what is historically the most dangerous part of fire season — the end of summer before the first major rains — lone human sentries have largely given way to a new type of fire lookout on mountain tops: high-tech cameras.—
Paul Rogers,
Boston Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the below example, against Real Oviedo’s zonal scheme protecting the six-yard box, three players run away from goal and one to the near-post to attack Marcus Rashford’s outswinger, resulting in Araujo scoring.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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In some cases, sportsbooks have taken down odds on certain events to protect against manipulation.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Folsom was once a bustling outpost where Gold Rush miners and merchants converged.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Until a few weeks ago, however, the Chiefs’ outpost inside SubTropolis flew largely under the radar, serving primarily as a depository for historical documents, films, trophies, uniforms and photos.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Church, which is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is best known for organizing pickets at soldiers’ funerals and emblazoning anti-LGBT slogans on protest signs and billboards.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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Where will Starbucks Workers United hold rallies and pickets?—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sitting on a waterproof Vibram commando sole, the upper of the shoe is crafted in suede in Fracap’s headquarters in Puglia, Italy.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
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Male actors have a habit of going commando to costume fittings.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In this episode, Marshall sets back his watch anyway.—
Jenny Porter Tilley,
IndyStar,
27 Oct. 2025
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The handsy thief also helped himself to the watch on my wrist.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The north was expected to be America’s rear guard, a place where values like democracy and women’s rights might have taken hold.—
Azam Ahmed,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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And assassins from a coalition of all the local indigenous tribes — out for blood over the murder of Jimmy the Creek, one of their own, last episode — slit the throats of Ming’s rear guard.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patrol. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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