patronize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to give (a store, restaurant, hotel, etc.) one's regular patronage; trade with.
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to behave in an offensively condescending manner toward.
a professor who patronizes his students.
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to act as a patron toward (an artist, institution, etc.); support.
verb
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to behave or treat in a condescending way
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(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
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.
“Don’t patronize me,” he said, still grinning as he took the turn toward her house.
From Literature
What were they doing to develop “anti-smog muffler devices”? A month later, Hahn got back the first of many testy, patronizing responses.
From Los Angeles Times
She smiled at me, more kind than patronizing.
From Literature
As outlandish as this all seems, he has never once been patronizing.
From Literature
You can empathize with your friend without demonizing your own position or patronizing her by saying everything will be OK.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
