PAT DOWN Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

pat down

verb

Definition of pat down

as in to shake down

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pat down Following his arrest, Elijah Lebron was allegedly found with a BB gun that resembled a firearm when he was patted down, Jaques said. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2026 Its owner has said that guests were patted down by security, scanned with a metal detector wand and required to walk through a metal detector at the entrance. — Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026 Cover lightly with soil, pat down gently, and water thoroughly. — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026 Angela and several friends watched as Carlos was patted down and searched. — Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pat down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pat down

Verb

On Thursday, Diamantis will be sentenced for crimes associated with shaking down contractors on four school building projects in three municipalities — Hartford, New Britain and and Tolland.

— Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026
Bernthal played the real-life Baltimore policeman Wayne Jenkins, who led a crew of officers who shook down people for cash and drugs.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026

Definition of shake down

Verb

In the world of Dune, the suit transforms the sweat into drinking water; but in the Mexican desert, the sweat just pools, sticks to my skin and runs down my arms.

— Kyle Maclachlan, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
The worst came during the early hours of July 28, when heavy rains fell on already soggy ground, running down steep hills into narrow river valleys — a perfect recipe for fast, devastating flooding.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of run down

Verb

When Artificial does go wide, audiences may be most surprised to find out that the true lead of Artificial isn’t Garfield’s ambitious Altman but Borisov’s brilliant, sweet oddball Ilya Sutskever.

— Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026
Agile also rested on the idea that mistakes were expensive, so the cheapest way to test a product was to ship the MVP and find out.

— Tim Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of find out

Verb

In October 2026, the disgraced ex-prince filed a lawsuit against the Thames Valley Police, who arrested him and searched his homes on his birthday.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 6 Oct. 2026
Think of these tools as a fast way to start searching rather than a guarantee that the first answer is correct.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of search

Verb

Residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which raked Hawaii without making landfall in August, producing heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Authorities say Ortiz raked Rihanna’s home and an Airstream trailer parked on her Beverly Crest property with bullets from an assault rifle March 8.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of rake

Verb

Jurors repeatedly reviewed surveillance video capturing the hours, minutes and seconds leading to the shooting before ultimately deadlocking on the homicide charges.

— Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
An investigative panel produced a 99-page report outlining its findings, according to documents filed in court and reviewed by The Associated Press.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of review

Verb

That allegation surfaced as police investigated the first case.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the UAE are investigating the hijacker to uncover the key questions surrounding the suspect’s identity, motive, and how a weapon entered the cockpit.

— Christine Valora, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of investigate

Browse Nearby Words

patchy

pat down

pate

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Pat down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pat%20down. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pat down

verb

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