pennant

noun

pen·​nant ˈpe-nənt How to pronounce pennant (audio)
1
a
: any of various nautical flags tapering usually to a point or swallowtail and used for identification or signaling
b
: a flag or banner longer in the fly than in the hoist
especially : one that tapers to a point
2
: a flag emblematic of championship (as in a professional baseball league)
also : the championship itself

Examples of pennant in a Sentence

pennants waving atop the tower The Red Sox won the American League pennant in 2004.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Padres last won a National League pennant in 1998, the Diamondbacks’ first year of existence. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025 Ohtani remains alone among two-way players, but even Ohtani hasn’t done this during a pennant race for a team actively trying to map out how to best utilize him in October. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2025 Which means the current A’s are battling human nature that comes with being a last-place team that sold high at the deadline, rather than buyers adding to compete for a pennant. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2025 When the smoke finally cleared as July disappeared from the calendar, the teams at the top of the payroll charts fattened their outlay, the only team without a pennant increased its chances, and several teams waved the white flag by slashing salaries with a vengeance. Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pennant

Word History

Etymology

alteration of pendant

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pennant was in 1698

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pennant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pennant. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

pennant

noun
pen·​nant ˈpen-ənt How to pronounce pennant (audio)
1
: a flag with a usually tapering or forked tail that is used especially for signaling
2
: a flag that serves as the emblem of championship

More from Merriam-Webster on pennant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!