as in aristocracy
the highest class in a society
the patriciate regarded patronage of the arts as a moral and social duty
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriciate
Noun
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Breyer is married to Joanna Freda Hare, a psychologist and member of the British aristocracy.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026 -
The lower classes and the clergy had always hated the Castilians, and the Portuguese aristocracy and the commercial classes—previously content with the patronage and the economic opportunities that the union with Spain had provided—had become dissatisfied during the preceding 20 years.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In particular, popes wanted to select the church’s bishops rather than allowing nobility or a king to do so.—
Joëlle Rollo-Koster,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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Lagerbielke — or more accurately, the 11th Baron Lagerbielke — is a member of the Swedish nobility and lies 254th in line to the country’s throne.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The nobles and gentry—the billionaires of Tudor England—made fortunes from the reclaimed monastery lands and created a myth of Henry’s military strength and English pride.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
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Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Patriciate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriciate. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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