Illustration of patchwork
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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
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
In return for working to remove dyes from food, the trade group asked the Trump administration to work against state legislation that has created a patchwork of laws around food dyes — which could lead to more restrictive bans on other chemicals -- not just food dyes -- in certain states.
—
Sony Salzman, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2025
Centralization is the key; manual steps, patchwork scripts and object-level tools only perpetuate fragmentation.
—Serge Lucio, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
The years of bitter debate divided and radicalized the Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to 2024 with a patchwork of policies on immigration and trade that reflected the unwieldy coalition behind Brexit.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
The pillar has been covered with a patchwork of wooden doors, painted in white that have been repurposed as part of the unusual design concepts that reflect the signature visual language of the house.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
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Sony Salzman, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2025
Centralization is the key; manual steps, patchwork scripts and object-level tools only perpetuate fragmentation.
—Serge Lucio, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
The years of bitter debate divided and radicalized the Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to 2024 with a patchwork of policies on immigration and trade that reflected the unwieldy coalition behind Brexit.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
The pillar has been covered with a patchwork of wooden doors, painted in white that have been repurposed as part of the unusual design concepts that reflect the signature visual language of the house.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patchwork
Cite this Entry
“Patchwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patchwork. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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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