Patchwork — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈpach-ˌwərk/ patch·work

Meaning & Definition of Patchwork

Patchwork (noun)

  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

Patchwork (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. consisting of many things of different sorts

    "a patchwork collection of antiques from different periods"

    similar: assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, motley, piebald, promiscuous, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied
    related: manifold, multifarious, multiple, multiplex, myriad, disparate, divergent, diverse, sundry, various, chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, farraginous, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, commixed, conglomerated, fused, incorporated, intermingled, intermixed, merged, mingled, composite, conglomerate, hybrid, unclassified, unsorted
    opposite: homogeneous
    near: monolithic, uniform, alike, identical, like, same, distinct, distinctive, individual, separate

Patchwork (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an unorganized collection or mixture of various things

    "the state's patchwork of outdated laws regulating commercial activity on Sundays"

    similar: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
    related: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration, catchall, admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up, bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast (chiefly British), mess, morass, shambles, imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

Related Entry: Patchwork quilt (noun)

Patchwork quilt is a different word from Patchwork. The synonyms below are for patchwork quilt, not for patchwork.

  1. an unorganized collection or mixture of various things

    "the essay isn't so much a cogent argument as a patchwork quilt of the writer's random musings"

    similar: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
    related: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration, catchall, admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up, bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast (chiefly British), mess, morass, shambles, imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

Related Entry: Patchwork quilts (noun)

Patchwork quilts is a different word from Patchwork. The synonyms below are for patchwork quilts, not for patchwork.

  1. an unorganized collection or mixture of various things

    "the essay isn't so much a cogent argument as a patchwork quilt of the writer's random musings"

    similar: agglomerates, agglomerations, alphabet soups, assortments, botches, clutters, collages, crazy quilts, farragoes, gallimaufries, grab bags, gumbos, hashes, hodgepodges, hotchpotches, jambalayas, jumbles, jungles, litters, macédoines, medleys, mélanges, menageries, miscellanea, miscellanies, mishmashes, mixed bags, montages, motleys, muddles, olios, olla podridas, omnium-gatherums, pastiches, patchworks, potpourris, ragbags, ragouts, rummages, salads, salmagundis, scrambles, shuffles, smorgasbords, stews, tumbles, varieties, welters
    related: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulations, aggregates, aggregations, conglomerates, conglomerations, catchalls, admixtures, alloys, amalgams, blends, combinations, commixtures, composites, compounds, fusions, intermixtures, mix-ups, bollixes, chaoses, confusions, disarrangements, disarrays, disorders, dog's breakfasts (chiefly British), messes, morasses, shambles, imbroglios, knots, snarls, tangles

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Patchwork

The most common words with a similar meaning to Patchwork:

assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, motley, piebald, promiscuous, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied, agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Patchwork

Words with the opposite meaning of Patchwork:

homogeneous

Related Words for Patchwork

manifold, multifarious, multiple, multiplex, myriad, disparate, divergent, diverse, sundry, various, chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, farraginous, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, commixed, conglomerated, fused

Near Antonyms of Patchwork

monolithic, uniform, alike, identical, like, same, distinct, distinctive, individual, separate

Origin & Etymology of Patchwork

First known use: 1634

Words & Phrases Containing Patchwork

patchwork quilt

Frequently Asked Questions about Patchwork

What does "Patchwork" mean?

"Patchwork" means something composed of miscellaneous or incongruous parts, hodgepodge. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: something composed of miscellaneous or incongruous parts, hodgepodge. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Patchwork"?

Other words for "Patchwork" include assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous and mixed. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Patchwork" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Patchwork"?

There are 135 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Patchwork". Common alternatives include assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, motley and piebald.

What is the opposite of "Patchwork"?

Antonyms of "Patchwork" include homogeneous. Near antonyms include monolithic, uniform, alike and identical.

How do you use "Patchwork" in a sentence?

Examples of "Patchwork" in a sentence: "a patchwork collection of antiques from different periods"; "the state's patchwork of outdated laws regulating commercial activity on Sundays".

Is "Patchwork" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Patchwork" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Patchwork"?

"Patchwork" is pronounced /ˈpach-ˌwərk/ and divided into syllables as patch·work.

What is the origin of the word "Patchwork"?

First known use: 1634.