penny ante

noun

: poker played for very low stakes

Examples of penny ante in a Sentence

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.
And the abuelas did not like to lose their penny ante poker games, said Surfside native Michelle Kuper, whose grandmother and aunt lived in Champlain East. Author: Linda Robertson, Anchorage Daily News, 4 July 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of penny ante was in 1855

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Cite this Entry

“Penny ante.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penny%20ante. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

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