oil patch

noun

1
: oil field
2
: the petroleum industry

Examples of oil patch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In other words, the oil patch is growing up. — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 But in the oil patch, the mood is anything but celebratory. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025 The transaction gave Frost outposts in the Permian Basin oil patch. — Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, 29 Jan. 2026 The field, a desolate oil patch, will eventually be the central location for what became known as the Texas Killing Fields. — John Wayne Ferguson, Houston Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oil patch

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oil patch was circa 1952

Rhymes for oil patch

See All Rhymes for oil patch

Browse Nearby Words

oilpaper
oil patch
oil plant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oil patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oil%20patch. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All