1
: a light blow especially with the hand or a flat instrument
2
: a light tapping often rhythmical sound
3
: something (such as butter) shaped into a small flat usually square individual portion
patted; patting
1
: to strike lightly with a flat instrument
2
: to flatten, smooth, or put into place or shape with light blows
3
: to tap or stroke gently with the hand to soothe, caress, or show approval
: to strike or beat gently
patent
point after touchdown
Synonyms
Adverb
Verb
Adjective
- adamant
- adamantine
- bullheaded
- dogged
- hard
- hard-nosed
- hardened
- hardheaded
- headstrong
- immovable
- implacable
- inconvincible
- inflexible
- intransigent
- mulish
- obdurate
- obstinate
- opinionated
- ossified
- pertinacious
- perverse
- pigheaded
- self-opinionated
- self-willed
- stiff-necked
- stubborn
- unbending
- uncompromising
- unrelenting
- unyielding
- willful
- wilful
Examples of pat in a Sentence
Noun
She gave the dog a quick pat.
Adverb
after months of practicing for the competition, the cheerleaders have their moves down pat
Verb
The child gently patted the dog's head.
He patted my knee and told me everything would be fine.
He patted his hair down.
She patted the dough into a square.
He patted the lettuce dry with a paper towel.
Adjective
The movie's pat ending was a disappointment.
His explanation was too pat to be believable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2024
Walnut and Cheddar Loaf Make this quick bread as a delightful addition to any soup or stew, or serve it simply with just a pat of butter to appreciate the nutty, savory flavors.
—Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
At the same time, the Biden campaign hasn't stayed pat as Trump tries to boost his base in Michigan ahead of a Feb. 27 primary he is widely expected to win.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 18 Feb. 2024
Jeanette showers him with pats, praise, and Pup-Peroni treats — Velcro's favorite.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024
That might seem less pat if the characters had demonstrable private sides, or were treated with at least occasional humor.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
James received a standing ovation at the next timeout, while coach Darvin Ham gave him a congratulatory pat on the chest.
—CBS News, 2 Mar. 2024
But the star is Bening, who has the overworked, overwrought and underappreciated Joy down pat from her first appearance.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
Sugared Doughnuts Made from a delicate yet sturdy brioche dough with rich pats of good butter folded in, these doughnuts are soft with almost feathery middles and a delicious deep golden-brown crust.
—Yewande Komolafe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024
Tyler Dragon, Cincinnati.com, 21 Apr. 2020
To use, soak the disc about 15 minutes, pat dry, and snap in place.
—Jean Kressy, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2019
Drain onions, pat dry, and add to tomatoes along with the parsley, dill, and mint.
—Christopher Kimball, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2019
When the grill is nice and hot, pat dry the scallops with a paper towel.
—Multiple Authors, House Beautiful, 1 May 2010
Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to cool; pat dry.
—Bon Appetit, 14 May 2018
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
—Fox News, 14 Feb. 2018
The use of police pat-downs declined as a result starting in late 2015, according to Cassell and Fowles.
—Salvador Rizzo, chicagotribune.com, 14 May 2018
Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2024
Just before freezing, gently wash berries in cool water, and pat them dry with paper towels.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
When done curing, lightly rinse off roasts under cold water and pat dry.
—Jack Hennessy, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024
To apply, warm about two to three drops of oil in your palms and pat lightly over your face.
—Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024
To be sure, that doesn’t mean that holding rates pat this year isn’t a possibility.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Try not to pat on just any cream or lotion—some contain menthol, for example, which can exacerbate itchiness.
—Julia Ries, SELF, 26 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and set aside at room temperature.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Type: Liquid Finish: Matte/Radiant Finish How to apply: Apply 1-2 dots on each cheek, then use your fingertips to gently pat the blush into the skin.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2023
The balance changes from story to story, and sometimes the genre conventions feel too pat, as genre conventions will.
—Noah Berlatsky, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2022
There’s a 1785 pastel portrait by Irish artist Hugh Douglas Hamilton, depicting the English bon-vivant ex-pat, George Clavering Cowper, the 3rd Earl Cowper, who spent his adulthood in Italy as a patron of science and the arts.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 12 Jan. 2023
The ending is not pat, nor fully happy.
—Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune, 30 Oct. 2020
Houston's likely route this February is likely to stand relatively pat, with a Gordon trade (don't hold your breath waiting on a major haul in return) as the only deal on the immediate horizon.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 3 Feb. 2023
Season 1 of Emily in Paris introduced Mindy Chen, Emily’s instant bestie and fellow ex-pat living in the City of Love.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 22 Dec. 2022
Portugal’s low-cost of living, welcoming ex-pat communities, relative safety, and warm weather were enough to reel her in.
—Byjane Thier, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2022
For fans hoping for consolation after the Bulls stood pat at the NBA trade deadline, the game offered little comfort.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2023
Noun
That said, in the wake of the Academy Awards, there’s no better time to extend the congratulations and pats on the back one more round by honoring the linchpins of the red carpet season — celebrity stylists.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2024
Walnut and Cheddar Loaf Make this quick bread as a delightful addition to any soup or stew, or serve it simply with just a pat of butter to appreciate the nutty, savory flavors.
—Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
At the same time, the Biden campaign hasn't stayed pat as Trump tries to boost his base in Michigan ahead of a Feb. 27 primary he is widely expected to win.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 18 Feb. 2024
Jeanette showers him with pats, praise, and Pup-Peroni treats — Velcro's favorite.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024
That might seem less pat if the characters had demonstrable private sides, or were treated with at least occasional humor.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
James received a standing ovation at the next timeout, while coach Darvin Ham gave him a congratulatory pat on the chest.
—CBS News, 2 Mar. 2024
But the star is Bening, who has the overworked, overwrought and underappreciated Joy down pat from her first appearance.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
Sugared Doughnuts Made from a delicate yet sturdy brioche dough with rich pats of good butter folded in, these doughnuts are soft with almost feathery middles and a delicious deep golden-brown crust.
—Yewande Komolafe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024
Adverb
The 2016 draft was the last time the Bengals stayed pat through all seven rounds.
—Tyler Dragon, Cincinnati.com, 21 Apr. 2020
To use, soak the disc about 15 minutes, pat dry, and snap in place.
—Jean Kressy, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2019
Drain onions, pat dry, and add to tomatoes along with the parsley, dill, and mint.
—Christopher Kimball, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2019
When the grill is nice and hot, pat dry the scallops with a paper towel.
—Multiple Authors, House Beautiful, 1 May 2010
Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to cool; pat dry.
—Bon Appetit, 14 May 2018
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
—Fox News, 14 Feb. 2018
The use of police pat-downs declined as a result starting in late 2015, according to Cassell and Fowles.
—Salvador Rizzo, chicagotribune.com, 14 May 2018
Verb
Feist says some scientific research supports blotting or patting the produce dry to help reduce microbial loads.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2024
Just before freezing, gently wash berries in cool water, and pat them dry with paper towels.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
When done curing, lightly rinse off roasts under cold water and pat dry.
—Jack Hennessy, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024
To apply, warm about two to three drops of oil in your palms and pat lightly over your face.
—Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024
To be sure, that doesn’t mean that holding rates pat this year isn’t a possibility.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Try not to pat on just any cream or lotion—some contain menthol, for example, which can exacerbate itchiness.
—Julia Ries, SELF, 26 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and set aside at room temperature.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Type: Liquid Finish: Matte/Radiant Finish How to apply: Apply 1-2 dots on each cheek, then use your fingertips to gently pat the blush into the skin.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
Adjective
But while the message is pat, the way it’s presented is poignant, thanks to an arresting lead performance from Gong, who manages a tricky balance of chilliness and charm.
—Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2023
The balance changes from story to story, and sometimes the genre conventions feel too pat, as genre conventions will.
—Noah Berlatsky, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2022
There’s a 1785 pastel portrait by Irish artist Hugh Douglas Hamilton, depicting the English bon-vivant ex-pat, George Clavering Cowper, the 3rd Earl Cowper, who spent his adulthood in Italy as a patron of science and the arts.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 12 Jan. 2023
The ending is not pat, nor fully happy.
—Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune, 30 Oct. 2020
Houston's likely route this February is likely to stand relatively pat, with a Gordon trade (don't hold your breath waiting on a major haul in return) as the only deal on the immediate horizon.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 3 Feb. 2023
Season 1 of Emily in Paris introduced Mindy Chen, Emily’s instant bestie and fellow ex-pat living in the City of Love.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 22 Dec. 2022
Portugal’s low-cost of living, welcoming ex-pat communities, relative safety, and warm weather were enough to reel her in.
—Byjane Thier, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2022
For fans hoping for consolation after the Bulls stood pat at the NBA trade deadline, the game offered little comfort.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pat
Cite this Entry
“Pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pat. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pat
1 of 3 noun1
: a light blow especially with the hand or a flat instrument
2
: a light tapping sound
3
: something (as butter) shaped into a small flat portion
pat
2 of 3 verb
patted; patting
1
: to strike lightly with the hand or a flat instrument : strike or beat gently
2
: to flatten, smooth, or shape with pats
3
: to tap or stroke gently with the hand to soothe or to show affection or approval
pat
3 of 3 adjective
patter; pattest
2
: learned exactly
have a lesson down pat
3
: firm entry 1 sense 2b, unyielding
stand pat
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