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
Relevance
2
as in endorsing
to promote the interests or cause of
a company that loyally patronizes the arts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in condescending
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of patronizing
Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
If your partner takes a patronizing tone or talks down to you, even while making a reasonable request, take note, Jackson said.
—Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
Kate seems a bit more reluctant to play along this time, in part because Laurie’s comments about Jaclyn are more overtly critical than the patronizing tone of the earlier scene.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
The same is true of the inconsistent — and patronizing — use of translation.
—Samuel Ashworth, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for patronizing
Verb
And all the polite cheeriness about singlehood—especially from partnered people, in a society still designed for couples—can feel disingenuous and patronizing.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
If your partner takes a patronizing tone or talks down to you, even while making a reasonable request, take note, Jackson said.
—Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
Kate seems a bit more reluctant to play along this time, in part because Laurie’s comments about Jaclyn are more overtly critical than the patronizing tone of the earlier scene.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
The same is true of the inconsistent — and patronizing — use of translation.
—Samuel Ashworth, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for patronizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronizing
Verb
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Weighing The Risks And Rewards Companies need to weigh the benefits and downsides of endorsing political nominees and appointees.—
Edward Segal,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
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Manhattan Democratic Party boss Keith Wright is endorsing Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan’s 2025 bid for city comptroller, dealing a blow to Mark Levine, Manhattan’s borough president who’s running against Brannan.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Here’s one troubling economic indicator: Not even saving the world has earned Chris Smith, or the rest of the 11th Street Kids, anything more than a condescending, dead-in-the-water job interview.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
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Worse, Trump's condescending and coercive relationship with Zelensky—evident since the impeachment scandal—undermines trust.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Students and faculty who participated in last year’s protests at Columbia have insisted that criticizing Israel and advocating for Palestinian rights isn’t antisemitic.—
Larry Neumeister,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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Understanding this is about advocating for yourself and ensuring your contributions are seen and valued.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Avoid being domineering, but also avoid being stepped on by someone else.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 July 2025
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My Mom Died is a heartbreaking and hilarious recounting of McCurdy’s struggles as a former child actor while dealing with her overbearing, domineering mother.—
Charley Ross,
Glamour,
2 July 2025
Verb
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The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families and treating the two survivors, Choi told a disaster management meeting in Seoul.—
Ju-min Park and Hongji Kim,
USA TODAY,
31 Dec. 2024
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If your current job in comms is growing stale, consider pivoting to supporting an organization fighting climate change.—
Aliza Knox,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Chicago got dominant starts from Shane Smith and Martin Perez earlier in the series, but veteran right-hander Aaron Civale wasn’t so lucky.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Aug. 2025
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Concern over the loss of Wheeler has less to do with the regular season — the Phillies are five games up on the Mets and heavily favored to win the NL East — but being without him in the postseason, where he’s been dominant (2.18 ERA over 12 appearances), will be much harder to overcome.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Trump has even been disdainful or dismissive of the United States’ traditional allies, such as Mexico and Argentina.—
Christopher Sabatini,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Nov. 2017
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Wise minds inside the Trump administration will hopefully choose to drop a suit first introduced during by a Biden administration reflexively disdainful of big.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patronizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronizing. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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