patchwork

noun

patch·​work ˈpach-ˌwərk How to pronounce patchwork (audio)
Synonyms of patchworknext
often attributive
1
: something composed of miscellaneous or incongruous parts : hodgepodge
2
: pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together to form a covering
also : something resembling such a covering
a patchwork of fields

Illustration of patchwork

Illustration of patchwork
  • patchwork 2

Synonyms of patchwork

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Examples of patchwork in a Sentence

The valley is a patchwork of family farms. A patchwork of laws prevent the land from being developed. a patchwork system of laws
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Before the 2022 near-total ban, a patchwork of laws had whittled down access to just one clinic by 2019. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026 As crises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea become more linked amid an expanding regional war, replicating the patchwork maritime strategy that never fully worked would be a serious mistake. — Dana Stroul, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2026 If such laws take effect, experts warn, the resulting patchwork of time zones could leave Chicagoans who cross state lines for school or work navigating different local times on either side of the border. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The 2020s have been full of young artists whose brains were rewired by E+E, Chuquimamani-Condori’s early alias for sputtering patchworks of Latin electronica, and revel in semioblitz bliss. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patchwork

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patchwork was in 1634

Phrases Containing patchwork

Rhymes for patchwork

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Browse Nearby Words

patch up
patchwork
patchwork quilt
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Cite this Entry

“Patchwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchwork. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

patchwork

noun
patch·​work ˈpach-ˌwərk How to pronounce patchwork (audio)
1
: something made up of various parts
2
: pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together usually in a pattern
patchwork adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on patchwork

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about patchwork

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