patronize

especially British, pa·tron·ise

[pey-truh-nahyz, pa‑]

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of patronize¹

First recorded in 1580–90; patron + -ize

Example Sentences

Bryant said members of the council emphasized ensuring the messaging didn’t patronize young users and allowed teens enough time to download their conversations and say goodbye to their chatbots.

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As journalist Madeline Peltz has documented, after that, he “staged more and more debates on college campuses,” focused on generating “bite-sized clips” that showcased how Kirk “would patronize and shame” students, largely young women.

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But rather than a false and patronizing philosemitism, Christian empathy for the Jewish people is leavened with a clear-eyed assessment of U.S. security interests and the geopolitics of the Middle East.

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Woolf could patronize American writing in 1919 in part because the U.S. still seemed provincial.

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Practitioners of downward dog and their actual dogs patronize this tangerine-colored canteen.

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Related Words

• deign 
• snub 

When To Use

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.