as in condescending
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in cutting
to assume or treat with an air of superiority
a director with an unpleasant habit of patronizing even his most gifted actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in endorsing
to promote the interests or cause of
a company that loyally patronizes the arts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patronizing
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Engelbert has received a ton of backlash recently after the commissioner allegedly made dismissive and patronizing remarks about player concerns.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Sure, Pittsburgh Trauma being a teaching hospital naturally lends to scenes of literal instruction, but too often the show pushes past procedural necessity into something distractingly pedantic, even patronizing.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patronizing
Adjective
Fear-mongering, which comes off equal parts paranoid and patronizing, is the surest way to make people stop listening.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Engelbert has received a ton of backlash recently after the commissioner allegedly made dismissive and patronizing remarks about player concerns.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
Fast food chains may require workers to make diners feel valued and welcome, and certainly many customers see merit in patronizing an establishment where service comes with a smile.
—Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Sure, Pittsburgh Trauma being a teaching hospital naturally lends to scenes of literal instruction, but too often the show pushes past procedural necessity into something distractingly pedantic, even patronizing.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patronizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronizing
Adjective
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And the motivational quotes on the walls are so condescending.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
23 Feb. 2026
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Kudos to Tara for keeping her composure as Whelan offers this condescending remark about Libya.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That the Illini couldn’t complete their comeback attempt despite cutting it to four in the final minutes was dismaying.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony a couple of hours before the game, gigantic scissors slicing a pink ribbon.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The sentiment voiced by the rabbis did not stop several prominent Jewish politicians in New York, including Representative Jerry Nadler, whose district spans much of Manhattan, and Brad Lander, then New York City’s comptroller, from endorsing Mamdani.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Looking ahead, a major task for the Caucus leadership this year will be endorsing a candidate for mayor in next year’s municipal election.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Netflix’s domineering presence, one that permeated every corner of a typically sacred day at the ballpark, had mercifully evaporated.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Wrapping production last October, Carrie is described as a reimagining of the story of misfit high schooler Carrie White, who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hancock, instead, said Kansas Citians could ultimately benefit from having three representatives advocating for their interests in Congress.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Maybe the fans who were supposed to ditch him already left years or decades ago, and what’s left are the folks think advocating for empathy is a niche position.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the Celtics still entered halftime with a big 80-57 advantage in large part because of its dominant first period.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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While not a quality start, Cameron continued a string of dominant pitching performances from the starting rotation.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The United States Powered Paragliding Association and Experimental Aircraft Association have written letters supporting the ultralight pilots in their fight against the county airport, as cited in the documents under review for the FAA’s upcoming decision.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
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Curators pop up in famous artists’ biographies all the time, usually as handmaidens to the creator’s genius, opening a door to a gallery here or supporting a grant application there.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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British writers’ disdainful accounts of the Rathayatra led, metonymically, to a pejorative sense of a juggernaut as a massive crushing vehicle, which was later extrapolated to its present meaning in English usage.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
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The girl's disdainful parents, unimpressed with her intelligence and independent spirit, decide to send her to Crunchem Hall, where the ruthless headmistress (Emma Thompson) specializes in bringing troublemaking tykes into line.—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patronizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronizing. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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