patronize

American  

[pey-truh-nahyz, pa‑] / ˈpeɪ trəˌnaɪz, ˈpæ‑ /

especially British, patronise

verb (used with object)

patronized, patronizing

1. to give (a store, restaurant, hotel, etc.) one's regular patronage; trade with.

2. to behave in an offensively condescending manner toward.

   a professor who patronizes his students.

3. to act as a patron toward (an artist, institution, etc.); support.

---

patronize British  

/ ˈpætrəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to behave or treat in a condescending way

2. (tr) to act as a patron or patroness by sponsoring or bringing trade to

---

Usage

What does patronize mean? To patronize is to be a customer (or patron) of a business or other establishment. In this sense, patronize most often means to be a paying customer, especially a regular one. However, you can patronize establishments that are not businesses—you can patronize a library, for example. Example: I patronize local shops and restaurants whenever I can in order to support people in my own community, instead of enriching faceless corporations. Patronize also means to act condescendingly toward a person in a way that arrogantly implies that you’re being kind or helpful to that person. This often takes the form of speaking to someone as if they were a child. Someone who acts in this way can be described as patronizing. Example: Don’t patronize me, Jeff—I understand the topic just as well as you do.

Other Word Forms

• patronizable adjective
• patronization noun
• patronizer noun
• repatronize verb (used with object)
• transpatronize verb (used with object)
• unpatronizable adjective
• well-patronized adjective

Etymology

Origin of patronize

First recorded in 1580–90; patron + -ize

Explanation

If you patronize a business, you shop there regularly. But if someone patronizes you, it's not so pleasant — they talk to you as if you were inferior or not very intelligent. Patronize comes from Latin patronus "protector, master," related to pater "father." So if you patronize a person, you talk down to them like a father might do to his child or a master to his apprentice. If you want to take an advanced class and your advisor warns you of all the hard work, you can tell him to stop patronizing you — you know a hard class involves hard work. This sounds much better than saying, "I'm not stupid!"

Example Sentences

Who would patronize these houses of financial ill-repute?

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

She said she still plans to patronize Cracker Barrel, including during the holidays.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

Customers who want to patronize Langer’s Deli can park in the business’ lot at the northeast corner of 7th Street and Westlake Avenue, where Langer said he put an attendant onduty as a safety measure.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2025

I’ve been thinking about the nightclubs our community used to frequent and the ones we patronize now.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2025

I thought, Already he’s starting to patronize me.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• deign
• snub