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
Everyone else relied on a patchwork of other, much smaller networks, with fewer ports, inconsistent charging speeds and a reputation for unreliability.
—
Camila Domonoske, NPR, 22 Nov. 2024
But like a lot of health care, it is governed by a patchwork of state and federal rules, and Rosendale and Brecheen think the rules are not strong enough.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
The first year was a patchwork of childcare via parents, a part-time nanny, and co-parenting.
—Ed Flores, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
This creates a patchwork of election operations across the country, each governed by its own rules.
—Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchwork 
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Camila Domonoske, NPR, 22 Nov. 2024
But like a lot of health care, it is governed by a patchwork of state and federal rules, and Rosendale and Brecheen think the rules are not strong enough.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
The first year was a patchwork of childcare via parents, a part-time nanny, and co-parenting.
—Ed Flores, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
This creates a patchwork of election operations across the country, each governed by its own rules.
—Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patchwork
Dictionary Entries Near patchwork
Cite this Entry
“Patchwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchwork. Accessed 30 Nov. 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
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