- present participle of patronize.
patronizing
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.
Travel is great, and I love patronizing restaurants opened by immigrant chefs who send enticing smells and savory dishes out of their kitchens.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 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
It’s patronizing, like something that would be said at a charity gala—and while well-meaning, potentially inadequate to a historically skeptical and cynical era.
From Slate • Sep. 18, 2025
“I’m not sure,” she said, giving me a perfunctory, patronizing smile, “that you’re Princeton material.”
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Vocabulary lists containing patronizing
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The Hunger Games
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