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

Once the Dodgers turned the game over to the bullpen, the Mets never showed another flicker of life. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

With the Mets offense still sputtering and the bullpen taxed, Dodgers phenom Ohtani added insult to injury in the eighth inning. —Jacob Lev, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024

With the Red Sox trailing the Yankees two games to none in the ALCS and down by a handful of runs in the fourth inning, manager Terry Francona waved the white flag and asked swingman Tim Wakefield to wear it for the bullpen in what turned out to be a 19-8 loss. —Jerry Beach, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

The Mets seemed undaunted and solved another Dodgers bullpen game, taking a 7-3, Game 2 win after jumping out to an early 6-0 lead. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2024

Using a bullpen game on Monday sets Walker Buehler up to start Game 3 on Wednesday night in New York. —Jim Alexander, Orange County Register, 15 Oct. 2024

The Dodgers were into the Padres bullpen in a figurative sense a short while later. —Kevin Acee, The Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2024

But the Phillies bullpen let Suárez down late in the game. —Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 10 Oct. 2024

For one day, their old friend Mr. TBD can pull up a chair in the Progressive Field bullpen, grab a Sugardale hot dog (Bertman’s Mustard only, please) and watch the American League’s best pitcher (by stats, if not by award — yet) work wonders. —Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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