patting down

verb

present participle of pat down
as in hunting (through)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for patting down
  1. shaking down
  2. running down
  3. finding out
Verb
  • On Thursday, Diamantis will be sentenced for crimes associated with shaking down contractors on four school building projects in three municipalities — Hartford, New Britain and and Tolland.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026
  • This brainstorm is aimed at shaking down travel booking platforms.
    — Susan Shelley, Daily News, 13 May 2026
Definition of shaking down
Verb
  • Blair had tears running down her face, while her team worked to explain what happened.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Saudis may also be able to procure more air defense systems from Europe and the US, after running down shipments delivered at the start of the conflict with Iran.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of running down
Verb
  • For people with disabilities, finding out whether a place is truly accessible can be harder than simply looking for a wheelchair symbol.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The lawsuit says that Carney trained Hoffman as a paramedic student and worked closely with him, only finding out about his death through the news.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of finding out
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.

Browse Nearby Words

patting
patting down
patty
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Cite this Entry

“Patting down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patting%20down. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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