Illustration of patchwork
- patchwork 2
patchwork
noun
patch·work
ˈpach-ˌwərk 
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
Synonyms
- agglomerate
- agglomeration
- alphabet soup
- assortment
- botch
- clutter
- collage
- crazy quilt
- farrago
- gallimaufry
- grab bag
- gumbo
- hash
- hodgepodge
- hotchpotch
- jambalaya
- jumble
- jungle
- litter
- macédoine
- medley
- mélange
- menagerie
- miscellanea
- miscellany
- mishmash
- mixed bag
- montage
- motley
- muddle
- olio
- olla podrida
- omnium-gatherum
- pastiche
- patchwork quilt
- potpourri
- ragbag
- ragout
- rummage
- salad
- salmagundi
- scramble
- shuffle
- smorgasbord
- stew
- tumble
- variety
- welter
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
Several national railways and private operators have moved in to meet the rising demand, and the result is a patchwork of overnight routes sold at over 30 different websites.
—
Albert Stumm, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
The Texas measure was designed to prevent a patchwork of local laws that conflict with or exceed state laws in a number of areas, including workplace safety.
—Noah Weiland, New York Times, 25 May 2024
Inside each window is a patchwork of multiple fabrics with endlessly different shapes, colors and patterns.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
Instead, Bartholomew says, there's a confusing patchwork of laws that vary state by state.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchwork 
Albert Stumm, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
The Texas measure was designed to prevent a patchwork of local laws that conflict with or exceed state laws in a number of areas, including workplace safety.
—Noah Weiland, New York Times, 25 May 2024
Inside each window is a patchwork of multiple fabrics with endlessly different shapes, colors and patterns.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
Instead, Bartholomew says, there's a confusing patchwork of laws that vary state by state.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchwork
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patchwork.' 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 patchwork
Cite this Entry
“Patchwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchwork. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patchwork
noun
patch·work
ˈpach-ˌwərk
1
: something made up of various parts
2
: pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together usually in a pattern
patchwork
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share