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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of patronize
Wintour also patronized the works of designers Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 June 2025
But don’t patronize McConnell by limiting him to such tropes.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Don’t patronize, don’t over-explain, don’t talk down to them in any way.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
This is not the first time Kaye has taken something intended as a compliment as ultimately patronizing, if not demeaning.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for patronize
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 June 2025
But don’t patronize McConnell by limiting him to such tropes.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Don’t patronize, don’t over-explain, don’t talk down to them in any way.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
This is not the first time Kaye has taken something intended as a compliment as ultimately patronizing, if not demeaning.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for patronize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronize
Verb
-
The movie was somewhat progressive for its time in discussing the gay community in a not-always condescending way.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
31 May 2025
-
The tone often shifts from helpful to condescending.—
Diana Spehar,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Churches are now able to endorse political candidates after a court filing against a decades-long rule.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
10 July 2025
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The teachers union joins a growing list of labor organizations endorsing Wu in her incumbent campaign against Josh Kraft, including the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, several SEIU locals, Teamsters Local 25 and more.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
10 July 2025
Verb
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This means advocating for ethical AI use while remaining people-centered, ensuring equity in innovation, and designing solutions that reflect cultural nuance and community needs.—
Britney Porter,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Her focus on women's health also includes advocating for making tampons and pads more accessible.—
Megan Myscofski,
NPR,
1 July 2025
Verb
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The chances the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 50 basis points in December are growing, according to Oxford Economics.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
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Every first without him will cut especially deep, but there will also be comfort to be gained from being back together at Kirkby.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Editor's note: Travel and accommodations for this article were partially supported by Tourism New Brunswick.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
12 July 2025
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At the same time, as AI becomes more advanced and companies begin to more deeply integrate the technology into their operations, costs should start to come down, supporting profit margin expansion.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patronize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronize. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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