patronizing

Patronizing is an adjective that means displaying condescension toward a person in a way that arrogantly implies that it’s actually kind or helpful to that person.

Patronizing can be used to describe a person or their words, tone, attitude, or actions.

Patronizing is also the continuous (-ing) form of the verb patronize, which means to act toward someone in this way. (A separate sense of patronize means to be a customer—or patron—of a business or other establishment.)

Being patronizing often takes the form of speaking to someone as if they were a child.

Example: Don’t be so patronizing, Jeff—I understand the topic just as well as you do.

The base word of patronizing, patron, comes from the Latin patrōnus, meaning “legal protector” or “advocate” (patrōnus comes from the Latin pater, meaning “father”).

To patronize someone in a condescending way is to treat them as if they’re in need of extra help because they’re not capable by themselves. This is often done with a patronizing tone. Condescending and patronizing are often used as synonyms, but they can have slightly different shades of meaning. A person who’s described as condescending is often intentionally trying to display their supposed superiority through their tone. A person who’s patronizing acts as if they need to share their special knowledge to help out people who aren’t as smart as they are—as if they’re doing them a favor. A person who’s described as patronizing may also be telling a person what they think the person wants to hear.

What are some other forms related to patronizing?

• patronizingly (adverb)
• patronize (verb)

What are some synonyms for patronizing?

• condescending

What are some words that share a root or word element with patronizing? 

• patron
• patronage
• father

What are some words that often get used in discussing patronizing?

• tone
• attitude
• comment
• reply
• condescend

When used as an adjective, patronizing is always negative.

Men talking to me like I’m their little sister. It’s never OK for anyone to try to talk to me in a patronizing tone. My own father has never spoken to me like that, so I will not give any man (I don’t care who) the permission to speak to me in that tone esp as I do my job.

— Arlyssa Becenti🗞🖊 (@ABecenti) February 12, 2020

Yessss this is a huge pet peeve. (Also hate the use of this word by doctors during medical visits – so patronizing.) https://t.co/W8KzIWlIpT

— Katherine Lewis (@KatherineLewis) July 14, 2020

Girlboss always sounded so patronizing to me. Like “aww look at those adorable girlbosses using their ladybrains.”

— Ria Otero (@RiaOtero) July 12, 2020

Is patronizing used correctly in the following sentence? 

His tone is always so patronizing—as if I’m not his peer.