PATRONIZING Synonyms: 186 Similar and Opposite Words

patronizing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of patronizing

as in condescending

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

patronizing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of patronize

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

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

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 patronizing

Adjective

Attempts have been so grand as to come off as wildly patronizing. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 John’s patronizing, congratulatory tone with regard to Weisz’s character’s dalliance with Vlad doesn’t help. — Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026

Verb

The Green family started patronizing the restaurant in the 1980s. — Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026 Trade school is often talked about as an alternative to a four-year degree, but the discourse can be patronizing, with jobs in construction framed as an off-ramp for the kids who can’t cut it in real college. — Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patronizing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for patronizing

Adjective

Murdoch is thick-skinned and accustomed to being underestimated by the condescending Brits, who see him as a crass interloper.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Ahead of his team’s clash with Australia, Turkey captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu completely dismissed his opponent in a surprisingly honest and condescending assessment.

— Tom Bogert, New York Times, 16 June 2026

Definition of condescending

Verb

Upgrading to the Thrust Variant requires a $245,000 follow-up payment and adds SpaceX cold-gas rear thrusters alongside an active multi-mode fan system for downforce, cutting acceleration down to under a second.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
And by cutting China off, Washington gave Beijing every reason to build its own alternatives.

— Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of cutting

Verb

Raki made waves by publicly endorsing CMS candidates before his tenure was up, including two who were running for Nunn’s and Easley’s seats.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026
His opposition to the California proposal wasn't enough to dissuade the state Democratic Party's executive board from endorsing the measure earlier this year.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of endorsing

Adjective

Sources said Gunning plays Annie, a quietly dutiful wife who has sacrificed her ambitions to raise four sons under her domineering husband, Duncan.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Fern proves himself as a true actor’s director, offering plum roles to Paulson, Watts and two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest as their chaotic and domineering mother.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of domineering

Verb

In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocated for cutting down on the use of meat and has signed onto letters advocating for raising taxes on meat and dairy.

— Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Seminole County also must set its priorities of advocating for conservation efforts including the Florida Forever acquisition of High Oaks Ranch, a 672-acre rural property in eastern Seminole County near Chuluota.

— Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of advocating

Adjective

The result is one of the most quietly dominant competitive positions in modern industry.

— Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Georgia looked dominant in the opening minutes, even after Stockton had to leave after hitting the field helmet-first on the first play of the game.

— Charles Odum, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of dominant

Verb

So regenerative has to regenerate livelihoods and communities too, including decent work and supporting the women who do much of the labor in cotton in many contexts.

— SJ Studio, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
While Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia is planning to escalate with drone or rocket strikes on European allies supporting Ukraine, other countries have called for calm.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of supporting

Adjective

As Cusk has become more disdainful of fiction and more insistent on the documentary function of art, her work has become vaguer and less concrete, fading like old ink into blurred indeterminacy.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
It was delivered with sneers, an ugly, small-minded few minutes in support of the sclerotic, disdainful of dynamic change.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

Definition of disdainful

Browse Nearby Words

patronizes

patronizing

patrons

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Patronizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patronizing. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of patronizing

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes