pat

1 of 6

noun

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

pat

2 of 6

adverb

: in a pat manner : aptly, perfectly
has her part down pat

pat

3 of 6

verb

patted; patting

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to strike or beat gently

pat

4 of 6

adjective

1
a
: exactly suited to the purpose or occasion : apt
b
: suspiciously appropriate : contrived
a pat ending
2
: learned, mastered, or memorized exactly
3
4
: reduced to a simple or mechanical form : standard, trite
pat answers

pat

5 of 6

abbreviation (1)

patent

PAT

6 of 6

abbreviation (2)

point after touchdown
Phrases
pat on the back
: an expression of approval

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
Noun
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 The film, an oblique portrait of this deeply serious provocateur, is no pass-the-time bit of art-historical programming, and no talking heads appear to hasten us along to a pat conclusion. Zachary Barnes, WSJ, 7 Dec. 2023 Bellocchio pulled Scorsese in close for a manly pat on the back. Manuela Santacatterina, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2024 Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, who posted 16 points and six rebounds in the Thunder’s win over the Hornets, and even Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. have received many more congratulatory pats on the back. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb. 2024 Girls Will Be Girls loses some of its intrigue in its third act, where Talati opts for conclusions that seem too pat and predictable for her smart narrative. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2024 In perfect comedic timing, Krishna then dropped the pat of butter and covered her face with her hand. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 By now, Brittany has got her sideline style down pat and every one of her Chiefs uniforms have earned a 10/10 score. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 17 Dec. 2023 For some biscuit purists, a pat of butter is never a necessary accessory. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2023
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
Shake loosely to remove as much water as possible, then pat dry with a paper towel or tea towel to remove excess water. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024 In a clip shared on X, the royal wiggled the oversized daffodil wreath a little girl wore around her neck and patted her on the head. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 The group celebrated, patting each other on the shoulders. Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 For the former, that simply means patting the wings dry with a towel. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024 Jackson nodded and patted his helmet in recognition. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2024 Barron appeared to reach out to pat Trump’s back or to take his arm, while Trump looked sad, vulnerable or bereft. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 Refresh the herb leaves briefly in a bowl of ice water and pat them dry before piling loosely on top. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 Gently pat your bunny with shredded coconut to give it a fluffy look. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English patte, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1578, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pat was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near pat

Cite this Entry

“Pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pat

1 of 3 noun
1
: 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
1
: exactly suited : apt, timely
a pat answer
2
: learned exactly
have a lesson down pat
3

Medical Definition

PAT

abbreviation
paroxysmal atrial tachycardia

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