How to Use pat in a Sentence

pat

1 of 3 noun
Definition of patnext
Synonyms for patnext
  • She gave the dog a quick pat.
  • As the Suns unit walked back to the bench, Paul gives Bridges a pat on the butt.
    — Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2022
  • Sales thanked him by name with a hearty pat on the back.
    — Amanda Albee, Dallas News, 21 Feb. 2023
  • Xi gave Putin a pat on the head and told him to run along now and play.
    — Peter Weber, The Week, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Add the wings to a large bowl and pat dry with paper towels.
    — Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2022
  • Frain said the system will reduce the need for bag checks and pat-downs.
    — Lorraine Mirabella, baltimoresun.com, 8 Dec. 2021
  • That’s the kind of thing that makes GOP hearts go pitter-pat (at least many of them).
    — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Jan. 2022
  • The punch is served hot and finished off with a pat of butter.
    — Dallas News, 23 Nov. 2022
  • Serve with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2023
  • Add a pat of butter into the skillet and move around to coat the bottom of the pan.
    — CNN, 27 Apr. 2022
  • Dear Dealing With a Dud: First off, give yourself a pat on the back.
    — cleveland, 21 May 2022
  • After the play Mike McCarthy gave him a pat on the backside.
    — Dallas News, 4 Aug. 2022
  • The actor then added a drizzle of hot sauce and a pat of butter.
    — Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2023
  • And be sure to thank your tree—say a few words, give it a pat, pick up any litter.
    — Elizabeth Bernstein, WSJ, 12 June 2021
  • Once García arrived at the mound, Gray gave a fist bump and a pat on the back to García.
    — Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 26 July 2021
  • Cut 2 ½ to 3 pounds trimmed beef cheeks (or beef chuck) into 3-inch pieces and pat dry.
    — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2021
  • As other teams made moves around the league as the deadline approached, the Tigers stayed pat.
    — Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2023
  • The officers stopped a man and found a firearm in the waistband of his pants during a pat-down, the chief said.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2021
  • Oh man, putting a pat of it on some warm rye toast was life-changing for me.
    — Bon Appétit, 13 May 2022
  • Brush the bottom and side of the skillet with the fat left in it (add a pat or two of butter if there’s not enough).
    — Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Nov. 2021
  • The teaser then cuts to a stack of pancakes drenched in syrup with a pat of butter on top.
    — Bryan Rolli, Forbes, 18 May 2021
  • Rinse and pat tomatoes dry, trying to keep the stems intact.
    — Star Tribune, 14 July 2021
  • Still, both that guess and orbit earned me a ‘solid choice’ pat on the back from ye olde bot.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 May 2022
  • To freeze slices, slightly blanch them, plunge them in ice water, drain and pat dry.
    — Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2022
  • But to many, the best prize was, without a doubt, the chin scratches and head pats from their many adoring fans.
    — Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 9 July 2023
  • Give yourself a pat on the back because most people are not.
    — Jon Younger, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022
  • Betts then gave Freddie Freeman, the 10th batter of the inning, a pat on the backside.
    — Bernie Wilson, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Plus, there's Rizzo the Rat gliding along a stove top on a pat of butter.
    — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2023
  • There’s reason to believe, though, that FCD won’t sit pat.
    — Jon Arnold, Dallas News, 25 Oct. 2022
  • Pillar shook hands with the four umpires and Braves coach Walt Weiss, who gave him a warm pat on the shoulder.
    — Paul Newberry, ajc, 19 May 2021
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pat

2 of 3 verb
  • The child gently patted the dog's head.
  • She patted the dough into a square.
  • He patted his hair down.
  • He patted my knee and told me everything would be fine.
  • He patted the lettuce dry with a paper towel.
  • And yet, this is not the time to pat ourselves on the back.
    — Tyler O'Neil, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2022
  • Once you're done, rinse off the cleanser and pat your face dry.
    — Samantha Driscoll, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Dec. 2021
  • Do not just pat them on the head and sweetly smile at them.
    — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 Jan. 2022
  • Kilroy’s smile grew as White reached out to pat him on the head.
    — Ashley Soebroto, BostonGlobe.com, 12 May 2023
  • Remove the artichokes from the pan and pat them dry on the cut side.
    — Michael A. Gardiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2022
  • Fans who once called for Bohn’s job are now eager to pat him on the back.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Rinse the morels well, pat dry, and use in place of other mushrooms in recipes.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2023
  • First, cleanse with a gentle face wash and pat your skin dry.
    — Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 17 Sep. 2022
  • Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the chilled crust, patting back any crumbs that come loose.
    — Genevieve Ko, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Nov. 2023
  • Once clean, lay the seeds on a paper towel and pat them dry.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2023
  • First, wipe the majority of the stain with a clean cloth and pat the area dry.
    — Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2023
  • Once clean, lay the washed seeds on a paper towel and pat them dry.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2023
  • The crew said their prayer, patted their tank and drove forward.
    — Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023
  • Dot onto the bridge of your nose and across your cheeks, and pat in to soften the effect point.
    — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Lightly flour the surface of the dough, then use your palms to pat into a rough square.
    — Jessica Battilana, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2022
  • Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and pat the meat dry.
    — Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2021
  • The prevailing thought here is to pat a teammate on the back rather than stick a knife in it.
    — Joe Noga, cleveland, 7 Oct. 2022
  • Dozens of Democrats crowded to the front, clapping and cheering for Schiff and patting him on the back.
    — Time, 22 June 2023
  • 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
  • Skip the cotton pad with this one — pump the airy foam right into your palms and pat it on your skin.
    — Liana Schaffner, Allure, 21 Sep. 2023
  • Dispense a pea-size amount in the palm of your hand and gently pat it into skin.
    — Danusia Wnek, Good Housekeeping, 16 Sep. 2022
  • Give them a rinse, pat them dry, then spread them out on a dish towel for 20 to 30 minutes.
    — Melissa Clark, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2022
  • The man gave police permission to pat him down for weapons.
    — Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 29 Oct. 2021
  • Dab, pat with your finger to blend and spread the love for some extra faux freckles.
    — Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023
  • Still, companies shouldn’t rush to pat themselves on the back just yet.
    — Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2024
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pat

3 of 3 adjective
  • The movie's pat ending was a disappointment.
  • His explanation was too pat to be believable.
  • If the dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time.
    — Compiled By Celestina Blok, star-telegram, 6 Sep. 2017
  • The slowdown in the first three months of the year was one of two reasons why the Bank stayed pat.
    — Pan Pylas, BostonGlobe.com, 10 May 2018
  • The Guardians stood pat at the trade deadline except for one move.
    — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 4 Aug. 2022
  • So the Heat stood pat, were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, and Lowry turned 35.
    — Ira Winderman, sun-sentinel.com, 31 July 2021
  • Wash and dry 1 bunch kale, then pat leaves dry with a clean towel.
    — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, 19 Jan. 2018
  • Instead, the Pacers stood pat and took the big man out of Colorado.
    — Matthew Glenesk, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Nov. 2020
  • Ostensibly, McAfee was set to live the life of a wealthy ex-pat.
    — Andy Meek, BGR, 24 Aug. 2022
  • During a pat search, the suspect pulled away and took a fighting stance.
    — Jake Richardson, The Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2019
  • There was so much to resolve that the action was bound to feel a little pat and cheesy.
    — Annalee Newitz, Ars Technica, 28 Aug. 2017
  • Tatum is now the pat parent to a Dutch shepherd named Rooklin.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 4 Feb. 2022
  • Dewil serves up an ending that’s far too pat for the dark events that precede it.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022
  • The Blue Jays were within three games of a wild-card berth, Anthopoulos stayed pat, and fell out of the race.
    — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2021
  • If the Cavs hold on to the seventh seed, their first matchup would be against the eighth seed -- the Hawks, if everything stands pat.
    — Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 4 Apr. 2022
  • There are ideas enough in this book of essays for 10 books; but there are no pat answers.
    — Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2021
  • Tuck the legs back and pat turkey dry with paper towels.
    — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, 20 Nov. 2018
  • Except that the words aren’t as piercing and the inner life of the character seems a bit more pat.
    — Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2022
  • In six, 1/2 cup ramekins, place 1 tablespoon of pecan mixture and pat to form crust.
    — Jill Wendholt Silva, kansascity, 3 July 2017
  • The Suns could move it in a variety of directions or stay pat at 10.
    — Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 29 Sep. 2020
  • Despite the departure of center Austin Blythe, the Rams stood pat.
    — Gary Klein Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2021
  • DirJ says cruise videos are not only a pat-on-the-back highlight reel for squadron members.
    — Eric Tegler, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2021
  • Remove from skillet, pat dry of any excess olive oil, cut in half, and serve.
    — Sarah Rense, Esquire, 19 Oct. 2017
  • And even the glimpse of redemption on the final page is a denial of pat narratives.
    — Mark Athitakis, latimes.com, 8 June 2018
  • While faith in Rivers led his team to play a pat hand, the Cleveland Browns were taking six quarterbacks in the top three rounds.
    — Tom Krasovic, sandiegouniontribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018
  • A pat down revealed a loaded Lorcin L32 hidden in the man's pants pocket.
    — Christine Dempsey, courant.com, 30 June 2017
  • But the DuBois idea seems a little too metaphysical and pat.
    — Lance Morrow, WSJ, 8 Oct. 2021
  • Fold in half and gently pat edges together to form a seam that is closed but not tightly sealed.
    — Nancy Stohs, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2019
  • For Morris and Wahl, however, all of this was a little too pat.
    — Megan K. Stack, The New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2022
  • This seems to me a pat way of playing down what’s been happening over the last several years.
    — New York Times, 29 Nov. 2021

Some of 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.

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