verb
patronize
PAYT-ruh-nyz
verb
1
To talk to someone in a way that shows you think you are smarter or better than them.
"He tends to patronize new employees instead of just answering their questions."
"Please don't patronize me — I understand the risks perfectly well."
2
To be a regular customer of a business.
"The family has patronized the same bakery for three generations."
How to Use Patronize
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually means talking down to someone as if they're less capable or less intelligent; less commonly, it means being a regular customer somewhere.
Common mistake
The negative "talk down to" sense is by far the more common one today; the neutral "be a customer of" sense can read as old-fashioned.
Common pairings
patronize customers
don't patronize me
Word Forms
patronized past tense, patronizes singular
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He tends to _____ new employees instead of just answering their questions.
Etymology
From patron plus -ize.