patrol

word

/pəˈtɹoʊɫ/
puh-TROHL
/pɐtɹˈəʊl/
puh-TROHL

Definition

To patrol means to move regularly through an area to watch it and keep it safe. As a noun, a patrol is the act of doing this or the group of people doing it.

Usage & Nuances

Common with police, soldiers, guards, or borders: 'patrol the streets', 'border patrol'. It can be a verb or a noun. For a single round, English often uses 'go on patrol' or 'do a patrol'. It is more official than 'walk around' or 'check'.

Example Sentences

The beach is regularly patrolled during the summer.

natural

Police officers patrol the streets at night.

basic

The guards patrol the building every hour.

basic

A border patrol stopped the truck.

basic

They added more officers to patrol the area after the storm.

natural

We saw a security patrol near the parking lot.

natural