How to Use pat in a Sentence

pat

1 of 4 noun

• 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
• Bellocchio pulled Scorsese in close for a manly pat on the back.
  — Manuela Santacatterina, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2024
• But the star is Bening, who has the overworked, overwrought and underappreciated Joy down pat from her first appearance.
  — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024

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pat

2 of 4 adverb

• Rinse fish; pat dry and place in a large zip-close plastic food bag.
  — Jeanmarie Brownson, sacbee, 15 Aug. 2017
• Beneath them all, in 30th spot, the Avalanche likely is standing pat.
  — Terry Frei, The Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2014
• Scrub carrots, pat dry, and scatter along the outer edges of a large rimmed baking sheet.
  — Alison Roman, Bon Appetit, 19 Sep. 2017
• In the meantime, part of Nagy’s job is to make things pleasant for the healthy pitchers — taking the pressure off, one back pat at a time.
  — J.p. Hoornstra, Orange County Register, 16 May 2017
• Drain cheese; pat dry. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  — Bibby Gignilliat, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2017
• Remove pork chops from brine, discarding brine and any spices still adhering to chops, and pat dry.
  — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2017
• The use of police pat-downs declined as a result starting in late 2015, according to Cassell and Fowles.
  — Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 14 May 2018
• Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
  — Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2018
• Remove chops from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
  — Julia Reed, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2017
• Rinse bodies and tentacles well; pat dry with paper towels.
  — Bon Appetit, 19 July 2017
• Once pork is room temperature, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  — Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit, 19 Mar. 2018
• Rinse fish; pat dry and place in a large zip-close plastic food bag.
  — Jeanmarie Brownson, sacbee, 15 Aug. 2017
• Beneath them all, in 30th spot, the Avalanche likely is standing pat.
  — Terry Frei, The Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2014
• Scrub carrots, pat dry, and scatter along the outer edges of a large rimmed baking sheet.
  — Alison Roman, Bon Appetit, 19 Sep. 2017
• In the meantime, part of Nagy’s job is to make things pleasant for the healthy pitchers — taking the pressure off, one back pat at a time.
  — J.p. Hoornstra, Orange County Register, 16 May 2017
• Drain cheese; pat dry. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  — Bibby Gignilliat, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2017
• Remove pork chops from brine, discarding brine and any spices still adhering to chops, and pat dry.
  — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2017
• The use of police pat-downs declined as a result starting in late 2015, according to Cassell and Fowles.
  — Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 14 May 2018
• Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
  — Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2018
• Remove chops from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
  — Julia Reed, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2017
• Rinse bodies and tentacles well; pat dry with paper towels.
  — Bon Appetit, 19 July 2017
• Once pork is room temperature, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  — Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit, 19 Mar. 2018
• Rinse fish; pat dry and place in a large zip-close plastic food bag.
  — Jeanmarie Brownson, sacbee, 15 Aug. 2017
• Beneath them all, in 30th spot, the Avalanche likely is standing pat.
  — Terry Frei, The Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2014
• Scrub carrots, pat dry, and scatter along the outer edges of a large rimmed baking sheet.
  — Alison Roman, Bon Appetit, 19 Sep. 2017
• In the meantime, part of Nagy’s job is to make things pleasant for the healthy pitchers — taking the pressure off, one back pat at a time.
  — J.p. Hoornstra, Orange County Register, 16 May 2017
• Drain cheese; pat dry. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  — Bibby Gignilliat, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2017
• Remove pork chops from brine, discarding brine and any spices still adhering to chops, and pat dry.
  — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2017
• The use of police pat-downs declined as a result starting in late 2015, according to Cassell and Fowles.
  — Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 14 May 2018
• Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
  — Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2018

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pat

3 of 4 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
• To be sure, that doesn’t mean that holding rates pat this year isn’t a possibility.
  — Krystal Hur, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024

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pat

4 of 4 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
• The Texas Longhorns stood pat at No. 6 this week following a nail-biting win over Oklahoma.
  — Dallas News, 2 Jan. 2023
• The pessimists stood pat, forecasting $65 a barrel in the Dallas Fed's latest survey.
  — Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 28 Sep. 2022

Last Updated: 9 Jun 2024