pat

My plan, just back from a trip to the East Coast, was to give California a well-deserved pat on the back for its unwavering commitment to coastal protection and public access.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Barring any surprising or dramatic August data releases in early September, the Fed will stand pat, the team said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

"Old people like to pat young children's heads," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

But executives keep lowering the bar for themselves to boost their chances of getting a pat on the back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

She couldn’t pat his horns or run her hands over his scales.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Five times over two days, Trump referred to Xi as his friend, taking every public opportunity to offer his compliments and pats on the back.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026

Sometimes, her 3-year-old pats his belly when he’s hungry for his favorite fruits like strawberries.

From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026

He pats my arm, then walks me to Jaarsma Bakery and stands in line with me, telling me how good the cake is.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2025

The room where we meet has several places to sit, but Chan pats a spot on her couch right next to her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

Camel pats my arm in a congratulatory fashion.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

In the main square, he handed out sweets, patted children on the head and assured them all would be fine.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

The machine patted me on the head by noting that I had avoided words like profound and tapestry and only once indulged in telling all of you “Here’s the thing.”

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

As students patted soil and staked trees for support, smoke from the wind-driven Sandy fire threatening Simi Valley billowed in the distance.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026

The president patted one student on the arm and asked if he was a "strong person," to which the boy replied "yes, sir."

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

As we scurried away, Samir patted me on the shoulder and laughed to himself.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

He deployed a charm offensive throughout his stay here, confident in the impact of his personal touch on world leaders, often seen patting Xi on the back and repeatedly calling him his friend.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

The two leaders shook hands warmly, Trump patting Xi's hand, and exchanged a few words on the red carpet before the cameras.

From Barron's ● May 14, 2026

“Usually these visits are a glorified patting on the back,” said Andrew Roberts, a British historian and royal biographer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

"She's an amazing person and an amazing fighter, and she announced a minor difficulty which will be in good shape," Trumps said, patting her on the shoulder.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

Two men in jet-black uniforms were patting down a student who stood outside of the metal detectors.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro