patchwork

[ pach-wurk ]

noun

1. something made up of an incongruous variety of pieces or parts; hodgepodge:

   a patchwork of verse forms.

   Synonyms: mélange, jumble, medley

2. work made of pieces of cloth or leather of various colors or shapes sewed together, used especially for covering quilts, cushions, etc.

adjective

1. resembling a patchwork, especially in being makeshift, irregular, or improvised:

   a patchwork policy of dispensing foreign aid.

verb (used with object)

1. to make as patchwork:

   She specializes in patchworking skirts.

2. to assemble or connect in making patchwork:

   to patchwork neckties into bedspreads.

patchwork

/ ˈpætʃˌwɜːk /

noun

1. needlework done by sewing pieces of different materials together
2. something, such as a theory, made up of various parts

   a patchwork of cribbed ideas

Other Words From

• patchworky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of patchwork¹

First recorded in 1685–95; patch ¹ + work

Example Sentences

Fulton’s return can boost a patchwork secondary that is starting to get healthier after, at one point, missing its top four cornerbacks.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has pledged to take action against these “sanctuary cities”, but America’s patchwork of local, state and federal laws further complicates the picture.

From BBC

Suddenly, abortion access was thrust back into states’ hands, creating a patchwork of laws across the nation.

From Los Angeles Times

On Tuesday night, “Everyone needs to take a breath, have some patience, have a glass of wine, and get up the next day and do it all over again,” Rick Hasen, a campaign-finance law professor at UCLA, told The Times for a story about the patchwork of vote-counting rules that could delay the result.

From Los Angeles Times

Election experts argue that a delay in knowing the result, in part because of the patchwork of rules that dictate how votes are counted, notably in battleground states, is proof of ballot-counters’ vigilance about accurately tabulating the vote.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• jumble
• mishmash
• plaid
• tartan