What does "patronage" mean?
The act of providing approval and support; backing; championship.
Patronage
/ˈpeɪtɹənɪd͡ʒ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of providing approval and support; backing; championship.
- Grammar: patronage is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: backing, abetment, administration, advocacy.
- Useful contrasts: civil service merit, customer indifference, disfavor.
- Usage evidence: We really thank you for your patronage.
How to use "patronage"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "patronage" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "patronage" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "patronage" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "patronage" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "patronage" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "backing" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "patronage", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of providing approval and support; backing; championship. countable, uncountable
"His vigorous patronage of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives."
- 2 the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers wordnet
- 3 Customers collectively; clientele; business. countable, uncountable
"The restaurant had an upper-class patronage."
- 4 (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support wordnet
- 5 The act or state of being a customer of some business. countable, uncountable
"The restaurant had "Thank you for your patronage!" printed on its take-out bags."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 the act of providing approval and support wordnet
- 7 A communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient; condescension; disdain. countable, uncountable
- 8 a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient wordnet
- 9 Granting favours or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support. countable, uncountable
"Patronage, nepotism, cronyism, abuse of power, and criminal activity flourish, sometimes for decades, in numerous town halls, police stations, and special-purpose government agencies in the suburbs."
- 10 customers collectively wordnet
- 11 Guardianship, as of a saint; tutelary care. countable, uncountable
"Each of the Arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish and grace life is under the patronage of a Muse, no god being found worthy to preside over them."
- 12 The right of nomination to political office. countable, uncountable
- 13 The right of presentation to church or ecclesiastical benefice; advowson. UK, countable, uncountable
"Advowson is the right of presentation to a church, or ecclesiastical benefice. Advowson, advocatio, signifies the taking into protection; and therefore is synonymous with patronage"
- 14 Patronising speech or behaviour. countable, uncountable
"The housekeeper, a very decorative brunette of thirty-five with a pseudo-English accent, greeted him with a mixture of grateful effusion and condescending patronage."
Verb
- 1 To support by being a patron of. transitive
"Mingdi continued the policy of his father who had patronaged Confucian learning."
- 2 be a regular customer or client of wordnet
- 3 To be a regular customer or client of; to patronize transitive
"This house is largely patronaged by the professors and students of many of the Educational Institutions of New England and the Middle States; and all perons visiting New York, either for business or pleasure, will find this an excellent place at which to stop."
- 4 support by being a patron of wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"We really thank you for your patronage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "patronage"?
Common synonyms include: backing, abetment, administration, advocacy, advocating, advocation.
How do you use "patronage" in a sentence?
We really thank you for your patronage.
How do you pronounce "patronage"?
Pronounced /ˈpeɪtɹənɪd͡ʒ/.
Etymology
From Middle English patronage, from Old French patronage (modern French patronage). Equivalent to patron + -age. Piecewise doublet of patternage.