patronage

1
as in sponsorship
the financial support and general guidance for an undertaking a symphony orchestra that had long relied upon the patronage of the city's moneyed old guard

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2
as in business
transactions or economic support provided by customers he refuses to give his patronage to any corporation that is not socially conscious

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of patronage Even this modest attempt at public arts patronage – European nations were spending 20 to 40 times as much on the arts – faced pushback from conservatives, who cast the tours as a waste of taxpayer money. Joanna Dee Das, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025 It was intended to prevent presidents from handing out patronage jobs and filling the administration with political cronies. Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025 In January 2022, the palace stripped him of his military affiliations and royal patronages. Elizabeth Stanton, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Typically, both Universal and Disney receive patronage from those visiting Orlando, especially from guests who are traveling from out of state or from other countries. Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patronage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronage
Noun
  • Cicely has spent the last 20+ years at the intersection of business and politics, leading government affairs, communications, legal, policy, and regulatory teams at the federal, state, local, and international levels of government.
    Cicely Simpson, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Not only did Biles rebuke Gaines for saying biological males have no business participating in women’s sports, but Biles also took some personal cheap shots at Gaines.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Everything from bar cart to trays and umbrella stands is handmade in custom colors by Vietnamese artisans in the traditional Son Mai lacquer.
    Erika Owen, Vogue, 6 June 2025
  • In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mohamed’s Enterprise — one of Guyana’s largest gold firms — for allegedly bribing customs officials and failing to report exports.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Patronage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronage. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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