as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
though he liked to play up his influence with city hall, he was really just another pawn of the political bosses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in pledge
something given or held to assure that the giver will keep a promise
offered her license as a pawn that she would bring back the rental canoe
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to deposit
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan
he pawned his antique watch in order to pay off his gambling debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pawn
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Declaring war on our nation’s cities and using our troops as political pawns is what dictators do.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
To help with their dissatisfaction from their day job as housekeepers at a hotel and to help pay the bills, the duo spend their weekends crashing wealthy weddings and stealing the gifts to pawn.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pawn
Noun
At EZCorp, which operates hundreds of EZPawn shops across the United States, the pawn loans outstanding and overall revenue hit record highs during the second quarter.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Declaring war on our nation’s cities and using our troops as political pawns is what dictators do.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Claims of copying creative works, inventions, or ownership, including unauthorized use, reproduction, or pawned or trademarked material.
—Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
To help with their dissatisfaction from their day job as housekeepers at a hotel and to help pay the bills, the duo spend their weekends crashing wealthy weddings and stealing the gifts to pawn.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawn
Verb
-
In December 2015, Epstein’s employees deposited seven months’ worth of rent into Jane Doe’s Bank of America account, according to the suit.—
Chase Jordan
October 17,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Oct. 2025
-
This design allows doctors to deposit the bio-ink exactly where it is needed without making any incision.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shein is far from the first online retailer to run into trouble with third-party vendors hocking controversial wares or flouting policy standards.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
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Conversely, Soto was like the guy who hocks his wedding ring before the separation agreement is signed.—
Greg Marotta,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In order to secure the loan, Chapman mortgaged the property with her brother Edward Chapman, who is also CEO of Marchesa.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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All of those general managers, at one point or another, mortgaged the future for the present.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawn. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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