patriotic

adjective

pa·​tri·​ot·​ic ˌpā-trē-ˈä-tik 

 chiefly British  ˌpa-

1

: inspired by patriotism

stirring patriotic songs

patriotic organizations

patriotic feelings

2

: befitting or characteristic of a patriot

patriotically

ˌpā-trē-ˈä-ti-k(ə-)lē 

 chiefly British  ˌpa-

adverb

Synonyms

• nationalist
• nationalistic

Examples of patriotic in a Sentence

A patriotic fervor swept the country.

hanging a flag outside one's home is a patriotic gesture

Recent Examples on the Web

Penny did not testify, but several of his relatives, friends and fellow Marines did — describing him as an upstanding, patriotic and empathetic man. —Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

In the wake of the Kennedy assassination, many sporting events were called off, and the raucous, patriotic annual match between the two service academies nearly met the same fate. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2024

Whereas Memorial Day and the 4th of July have a patriotic element, Christmas and Hanukkah are essentially days with religious significance. —Julia Sullivan, SELF, 6 Dec. 2024

And in 2001, people from around the world visited the tree, decorated in patriotic red, white and blue. —NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

patriotic

adjective

pa·​tri·​ot·​ic ˌpā-trē-ˈät-ik 

1

: having or showing patriotism

2

: suitable or proper for a patriot

patriotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb