bullpen

noun

bull·​pen ˈbu̇l-ˌpen 

 also  ˈbəl-

variants or less commonly bull pen

plural bullpens also bull pens

1

: a large cell where prisoners are detained until brought into court

Commonly called the "bullpen," the court lockup is behind the courtroom and is used as a holding area for prisoners …

—Bruce A. Scruton

2

a

: a place on a baseball field where pitchers warm up before they start pitching

In the bullpen, Goose Gossage is warming up.

—Tony Scherman

b

: the relief pitchers of a baseball team

After five innings Seattle led 14-2 and, with baseball's best bullpen waiting to protect the lead should starter Aaron Sele falter …

—Sports Illustrated

3

: an open work area not divided into offices

… an alternative to the traditional combination of private offices for the brass and bullpens for the workers.

—Carl Ruff

Examples of bullpen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Maybe this is the flip side of – or payback for – October of 2024, when the Dodgers’ starting pitching was decimated but the work of their bullpen propelled them to a World Series championship. —Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025

Verducci is probably right in saying that Los Angeles used Sasaki out of the bullpen in the minor leagues for a reason. —Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025

Presumably, the Padres will want someone who can hit from the right side, especially since the Cubs’ bullpen has two excellent lefties that work in high-leverage situations. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025

But the Giants’ bullpen wasn’t able to hold on to an 8-3 lead and lost, 9-8, which combined with the Mets’ win put too much daylight between the teams for the third and final wild card spot with four games left to play. —Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025

His first time having any sort out outing coming out of the bullpen was this spring training. —Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025

In the fifth, Philadelphia put a pair of baserunners on against Weathers before Miami summoned Lake Bachar out of the bullpen. —Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bullpen

• again
• airmen
• amen
• culmen
• flagmen
• gunmen
• lawmen
• oilmen
• playpen
• schoolmen
• tegmen
• ben

Kids Definition

bull pen

noun

1

: a large cell where prisoners are held until brought into court

2

a

: a place on a baseball field where relief pitchers warm up

b

: the relief pitchers of a team