PATROL Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

patrol 1 of 2

noun

Definition of patrol

as in sentry

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patrol

2 of 2

verb

as in to guard

to walk or go around or through (an area, building, etc.) especially in order to make sure that it is safe The squad had orders to patrol the area. The border is patrolled by the army.

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Dissimilar Words

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 patrol

Noun

The city has authorized sheriff’s deputies to work overtime to conduct additional traffic enforcement on top of their regular patrol shifts. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 The Coast Guard turned the people over to crews of two Dominican Republic Navy patrol boats. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026

Verb

They were soon surrounded by a crowd of about 1,000 bewildered villagers, who alerted forest officials patrolling nearby. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Spanish police and thousands of soldiers have been deployed, patrolling the city center and areas near the border. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patrol

Recent Examples of Synonyms for patrol

Noun

Some of them have panoramic views of white windmills, which dot the coastline of the Taiwan Strait like slender sentries.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
And Ric Salinas, who plays Chachalacani, humorously obliges, bringing his Culture Clash vaudeville skills to the role of the sentry who’s caught between the rock of Klion’s tyranny and his fellow feeling for Antíkona’s sympathetic cause.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of sentry

Verb

The Heat’s four Exhibit 10 contract players are Ausar, center Kylor Kelley, forward Gabe Madsen and guard Bez Mbeng.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
The most direct tribute to Tippett came in the battle against two giant droids guarding an overlord’s chamber.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of guard

Noun

The Binyamin Regional Council, an Israeli governmental body responsible for settlements in the area of the clashes, said the Palestinian Authority had sent activists to deliberately provoke residents of the Israeli settlement outpost near Abu Falah.

— Dov Lieber, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Amid the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, Samuel Gui Yang has created a quiet alcove as the Chinese brand’s first retail outpost.

— Denni Hu, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of outpost

Verb

Rowling has been staunchly critical of transgender rights activists, funding legal efforts to protect women’s rights and penning X/Twitter posts that are considered to be attacks by the trans community.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026
Go rebound the basketball, go protect the rim, be a big big for us.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of protect

Noun

Students sitting with arms linked at the elbows could only see in shards through a picket of shin guards, restricting their view of the area where classmates and roommates were dragged one by one and zip-tied face down on the spring grass.

— Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
For wooden privacy fencing, the community’s guidelines specify a shadow-box style with dog-ear pickets and require the fence to have the same appearance from both sides.

— Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of picket

Noun

Operation Sparrow called on Duke to lead a crack three-man commando team on a night parachute jump behind enemy lines.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Night Country‘s Kali Reis as a traditional Resident Evil commando type, there goes I, Tonya‘s Paul Walter Hauser as a whiny, weaselly corporate executive — and others who simply start sprouting tentacles out of their faces.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of commando

Noun

The three biggest selling watches were the Hermès Clipper, followed by the Cartier Panthère and the Gucci Interchangeable Bezel.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The new Super Chronomat watch duo is just the latest collab from Breitling and Aston Martin.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of watch

Noun

Optional extras include alarm/geolocation, a retractable rear guard rail, a canopy, and custom setups for family or cargo.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
Any suggestions that Lionel Messi’s presence at the 2026 World Cup might be diminished crumbled on Tuesday night with Algeria’s rear guard.

— Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026

Definition of rear guard

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Style

“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patrol. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of patrol

noun

verb

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