1
a
: the action of traversing a district or beat or of going the rounds along a chain of guards for observation or the maintenance of security
b
: the person performing such an action
c
: a unit of persons or vehicles employed for reconnaissance, security, or combat
2
: a subdivision of a Boy Scout troop or Girl Scout troop
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol
: to carry out a patrol of
patroller
noun
Examples of patrol in a Sentence
Noun
The guard makes a patrol of the building every hour.
Soldiers are on patrol along the border.
Army patrols combed the area.
Verb
The squad had orders to patrol the area.
The border is patrolled by the army.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth Pritchett, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Word of the decision comes as Probation Commissioner Juanita Holmes is facing union criticism for replacing officers’ shields with a new design that mimics those worn by NYPD patrol officers.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
Angel Diaz, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield, the former OC, patrolled near the line of scrimmage.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
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Noun
Belle Isle police officer Jacob Tapia was injured on April 3 after Paula Hernandez Lazaro crashed into his patrol vehicle after failing to yield while making a left turn.
—Elizabeth Pritchett, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Word of the decision comes as Probation Commissioner Juanita Holmes is facing union criticism for replacing officers’ shields with a new design that mimics those worn by NYPD patrol officers.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
The Baton Rouge rapper — who was sentenced to 23 months in prison last December while already serving time for a prescription fraud case — is back home early in Utah and has armed security patrolling his estate around the clock.
—Angel Diaz, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield, the former OC, patrolled near the line of scrimmage.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patrol
Cite this Entry
“Patrol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrol. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patrol
1 of 2 noun
pa·trol
pə-ˈtrōl 
1
a
: the action of going the rounds of an area for observation or guard
b
: the person or group doing the patrolling
2
: a part of a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop
patrol
2 of 2 verb
patrolled; patrolling
: to carry out a patrol or a patrol of
patroller
noun
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