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
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
Woolf could patronize American writing in 1919 in part because the U.S. still seemed provincial.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 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
“Don’t patronize me,” he said, still grinning as he took the turn toward her house.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich 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
SVB isn’t just a bank – it makes equity investments, patronizes startups’ services and sponsors lavish industry parties.”
From Washington Times ● Mar. 13, 2023
She said she keeps her mask on unless she’s eating or drinking, and patronizes places where she thinks the ventilation is decent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2023
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
Shops are open, sidewalk cafes are well patronized and cars clog the streets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024
She said the East was largely misunderstood by West Germans — belittled, patronized and often ignored.
From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2024
I never patronized the store, even though it was a block away from my condo, because I was a loyal customer of Bartell Drugs Store No. 1 at Fifth Avenue and Olive Way downtown.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2024
But the case was by no means closed for the people of Finney County, and least of all for those who patronized Holcomb’s favorite meeting place, Hartman’s Cafe.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Angèle’s narrative never catches fire and while Anei is striking as Ada, that section of the film feels slightly patronizing, reducing this immigrant tale to yet another strained salute to perseverance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 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
While the guidance has the right intention, it can feel patronizing and constraining, some employees and observers say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2025
When some teachers call you Mister or Miz, it comes across as either patronizing or too formal.
From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben
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.
