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patronize

[pay-truh-nahyz, pa-] / ˈpeɪ trəˌnaɪz, ˈpæ- /


VERB
do business at an establishment
Synonyms
Antonyms
WEAK
antagonize be humble be modest contend ignore oppose use competition


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

We can easily patronize older people, and my mom, for one, is acutely aware of that.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Who would patronize these houses of financial ill-repute?

From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026

She said she still plans to patronize Cracker Barrel, including during the holidays.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025

People who have experienced weight loss become more likely to join fit people who patronize wellness businesses, he said, and malls will be there for them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2025

They patronize, they flatter, maybe they wish to comfort themselves.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

The opportunity is now for the public to show that it prefers non-idiocy in the media outlets it patronizes and is willing to pay for.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

She said the retailers she patronizes include Express, Shein, and Walmart.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023

She said she keeps her mask on unless she’s eating or drinking, and patronizes places where she thinks the ventilation is decent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2023

“Brimstone & Glory’s” greatest grace comes from its subjects, whom Jakovleski neither patronizes nor fetishizes.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2017

Thick rugs cover every floor, and paintings from several local artists she patronizes line our walls.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

They know when they’re being patronized, even if they don’t always say it.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2025

She said the East was largely misunderstood by West Germans — belittled, patronized and often ignored.

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2024

I never patronized the store, even though it was a block away from my condo, because I was a loyal customer of Bartell Drugs Store No. 1 at Fifth Avenue and Olive Way downtown.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2024

The last theater I patronized regularly was the Candlelight Pavillion Dinner Theater for both its delightful musical theater and summer midweek tribute bands.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2023

Neeley would have to come along that great day because girls seldom patronized Charlie’s.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

“It’s patronizing, the idea that people have a difficult time getting a driver’s license,” Wagner said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

You know how we adults are inclined to respond to such unbridled optimism: With patronizing pats on the head.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026

You can empathize with your friend without demonizing your own position or patronizing her by saying everything will be OK.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026

Also, a 2021 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research documented hostile environments in economics seminars, with female presenters experiencing more interruptions and encountering more patronizing behavior.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026

As outlandish as this all seems, he has never once been patronizing.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse




Vocabulary lists containing patronize


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