Definition of patchnext

patch

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb patch contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of patch are mend, rebuild, and repair. While all these words mean "to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective," patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

When can mend be used instead of patch?

While the synonyms mend and patch are close in meaning, mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

When is it sensible to use rebuild instead of patch?

The words rebuild and patch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

When would repair be a good substitute for patch?

The meanings of repair and patch largely overlap; however, repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

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 patch
Noun
Along with apples and baked goods, the ranches offer hay rides, fishing ponds, pony rides, pumpkin patches and other activities. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026 The bigger issue is prolonged, concentrated heat directly over the patch — think a heating pad, electric blanket, very hot bath, sauna or heated car seat. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
Immediately cover the cement paint with your patching mixture. — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026 While a big company like Google could shore up its cybersecurity defenses against such attacks, for smaller companies — and for schools, hospitals or water treatment systems, for instance — patching software and building defenses can take years. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patch
Noun
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The period is 2006, when the golden age of streamable content is barely a speck on the media horizon.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • To make matters worse, the Houthis have captured new terrain in Yemen and acquired Perim Island, a speck of land inside the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint that better positions the Yemeni militia to intercept oil tankers.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In follow-up posts on X, Tesla said that a service visit for the charge port is mandatory after every use of the feature, and that, depending on the Supercharger, the electrical and civil costs of repairing the damage can reach up to $25,000.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Broadly, the idea is that consumers and small shops should have access to the tools, parts and information needed to repair their own electronic devices, farm equipment and cars, among other things.
    — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Lichtenstein rose to prominence for canvases that drew inspiration from bold black outlines, flat bright colors, and fields of dots that defined commercial printing across comic books, advertisements, and newspapers.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • New materials were also offered, with a striking feathery silver leather and a zesty polka-dot Vichy check canvas.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This whole bit is totally misplayed (though the gown is spectacular).
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Yet beneath that paper-like surface is a surprisingly simple bit of physics.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for NASA after a three-week delay to fix their Dragon capsule's leaking fuel system.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has tried to fix this before.
    — John Mildenberger, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized jacket featured a furry white base adorned with flecks of silver, which beautifully mirrored the sumptuous coats on the runway.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Neutrinos bump into other particles only rarely, so scientists build large detectors to improve their odds of catching collisions.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Detecting cosmic ghosts Neutrinos are the second-most prevalent particles in the entire universe besides photons, particles of light.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Patch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patch. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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