patronize
Americanverb (used with object)
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patronizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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patronized,
past participle, past
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patronizing
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
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patronizationnoun
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patronizernoun
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repatronizeverb (used with object)
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transpatronizeverb (used with object)
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patronizableadjective
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unpatronizableadjective
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well-patronizedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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patronizesimple
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patronizessimple
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have patronizedperfect
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has patronizedperfect
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am patronizingprogressive
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are patronizingprogressive
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is patronizingprogressive
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have been patronizingperfect progressive
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has been patronizingperfect progressive
Past
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patronizedsimple
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had patronizedperfect
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was patronizingprogressive
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were patronizingprogressive
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had been patronizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of patronize
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!"
Vocabulary lists containing patronize
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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.
See Examples For:
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
I’ve been thinking about the nightclubs our community used to frequent and the ones we patronize now.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2025
Azuka said it has resonated with audiences who she was keen not to "patronize".
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2025
Children were the marketers of the neighborhood and they would only patronize those stores that treated them well.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
The opportunity is now for the public to show that it prefers non-idiocy in the media outlets it patronizes and is willing to pay for.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
She said the retailers she patronizes include Express, Shein, and Walmart.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
Even as Paul’s life changes mid-novel, Wayne patronizes his protagonist, reducing him to a cultural cliche which, while rooted in truth, stays flat on the page.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 12, 2022
Sales of the five-piece Smart Set capsule collection of women’s work wear benefits Smart Works, a charity she patronizes that helps unemployed women find jobs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2019
Thick rugs cover every floor, and paintings from several local artists she patronizes line our walls.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
They know when they’re being patronized, even if they don’t always say it.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2025
At one point, teammate Kiké Hernández playfully patronized the right-handed pitcher, telling him the misplaced pitches shouldn’t make him feel bad.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2024
She said the East was largely misunderstood by West Germans — belittled, patronized and often ignored.
From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2024
That number surpassed the 378,518 who patronized Cheney Stadium in 2011, the first season of the ballpark’s remodeled configuration.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 25, 2023
Perry was well acquainted with the workings of such emporiums, having often patronized them, and happily, since usually he found it “so relaxing” to sit quietly and watch clothes get clean.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Moreover, the occasional stabs at quotable mom-power dialogue feel patronizing, not that the audience for ultraviolent action pictures typically includes a lot of moms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
I think there’s nothing cooler than when you meet an artist who had a storied career and they seem completely down to earth and easy to talk to, and not condescending or patronizing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
Calling it “wholesome” isn’t right; that’s too patronizing.
From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2026
You can empathize with your friend without demonizing your own position or patronizing her by saying everything will be OK.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026
“Come now, Alessandro,” Goddard said in his most patronizing tone.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
