pinup

1 of 2

noun

pin·​up ˈpin-ˌəp How to pronounce pinup (audio)
: something fastened to a wall: such as
a
: a photograph or poster of a person considered to have glamorous qualities
b
: something (such as a lamp) designed for wall attachment

pinup

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to pinups
male pinup calendars
2
: designed for hanging on a wall
a pinup lamp

Examples of pinup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At Australia’s polar station, a collage of nearly a hundred pornographic pinups covered the ceiling. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2023 This wasn’t an idealized Venus showing that much shoulder, but an actual person long before even pinups, laughably modest by today’s standards, were a thing. Chadd Scott, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2023 That meant pinups and prize giveaways and blaring scandal headlines. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2023 The makeup mogul stepped out in Italy this week in a sultry corset look reminiscent of 1940s pinups. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 Aug. 2023 Unlike Pamela Anderson, that other ‘90s-era pinup who also felt the sting of tabloid celebrity and was recently the subject of a Netflix documentary, Smith is not here to tell her own story or reflect on anything in hindsight. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2023 But then there is Styles, cheerily gung ho, hidden behind a festive yellow bandana mask and a sweatshirt of his own design, surprisingly printed with three portraits of his intellectual pinup, the author Alain de Botton. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2021 The move signals that Mr. Bout, who was returned to Russia last week in an exchange for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, will likely be a political pinup for the Kremlin. Alan Cullison, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2022 Stratten loves the show, which says a lot, given her status as a pinup. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2022
Adjective
Augmenting the Games themselves there was a best mullet contest, a Florida Ma’am pinup contest, an opportunity to take selfie photos with an alligator, and a bingo game decided by two chickens. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 The runner up lot is an Alberto Vargas original watercolor drawing of a Vargas Girl pinup, from the 1967 issue of Playboy. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Jan. 2024 This is a Murdoch of more mercurial motivation, desperate to win but squeamish about some of Lamb’s innovations, particularly the Page 3 pinup display. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2023 Vintage pinup style can be yours in any size with this affordable suit. Maya Polton Updated, Parents, 10 Aug. 2023 Although most modern machine artwork is no longer filled with the pinup tropes of machines from the 1960s and 1970s, even the newer games don’t have women represented in an empowering way, Ms. Papilla said. Peter Kujawinski, New York Times, 9 June 2023 The character grew so popular in Germany that Lilli developed into a sort of three-dimensional pinup. Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 25 May 2023 One large wall in the main sitting area holds a black and white art piece with silhouettes of pinup style women in various positions by fashion illustrator Regina Yazdi, known for her sketches for clients like Chanel, Dior, Bulgari and Harry Winston. Nancy Keates, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023 His late grandmother, Anne Gwynne, was also an actress and a WWII-era pinup model; while his sister Katherine Pine has dabbled in acting as well. Kristen O'Brien, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1943, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinup was in 1941

Dictionary Entries Near pinup

Cite this Entry

“Pinup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinup. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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