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

Mason Miller and a shutdown bullpen have consistently shortened games for a starting rotation missing Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove. —Dennis Lin, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026

In this game, the bullpen inherited a 6-3 lead when starter Reid Detmers was chased out of the game with no outs in the sixth. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026

That continued Saturday as Chudzinski came out of the bullpen to fire four scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing just one hit to lift visiting Lincoln-Way West to a 4-2 nonconference win over Oak Forest. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026

The Angels then scored four in the second inning, but Lugo was able to right the ship and keep the bullpen from being overworked. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026

With that in mind, Blake thinks Weathers and Warren have stuff that could play up in the bullpen should the Yankees’ run of good health continue. —Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026

Is the bullpen’s excellence sustainable? —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026

Their bullpen blew a four-run lead in a 6-4 loss in the series opener Friday that dropped them out of the NL West lead for the first time this season. —CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

Only once in franchise history — 30 years ago — had a Padres bullpen allowed more runs in a two-inning stint. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

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