pen·cil
ˈpen(t)-səl
1
: an artist's brush
2
: an artist's individual skill or style
3
a
: an implement for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance
b
: a small medicated or cosmetic roll or stick for local applications
4
: a set of geometric objects each pair of which has a common property
the lines in a plane through a point comprise a pencil of lines
5
: something (such as a beam of radiation) long and thin like a pencil
penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling
ˈpen(t)-s(ə-)liŋ
1
: to paint, draw, write, or mark with a pencil
2
: to plan or designate tentatively
—used with in
penciled him in as the nominee
Cite this Entry
“Pencil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pencil. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.
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