patrol
verb (used without object)
(of a police officer, soldier, etc.) to pass along a road, beat, etc., or around or through a specified area in order to maintain order and security.
patrolled
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past participleof patrol.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof patrol.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
patrolverb (used without object)(of a police officer, soldier, etc.) to pass along a road, beat, etc., or around or through a specified area in order to maintain order and security.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pictures on Saturday showed the coastline being patrolled by a police boat and helicopter.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
He brought with him perhaps 60,000 soldiers, along with numerous cannons, some of enormous size, to besiege the city; a newly constructed fleet patrolled the Bosporus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
I drove to my job at a middle school, where more legal observers patrolled outside.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The route is patrolled by a handful of rescue ships operated by charities that have repeatedly accused EU authorities of not doing enough to help prevent deaths.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
In addition, the Neighborhood Dictatorship Group patrolled the neighborhood day and night.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
