as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
though he liked to play up his influence with city hall, he was really just another pawn of the political bosses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in pledge
something given or held to assure that the giver will keep a promise
offered her license as a pawn that she would bring back the rental canoe
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to deposit
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan
he pawned his antique watch in order to pay off his gambling debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pawn
Adam Thompson, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors say Southerland later sold more than 200 of the phones to a nearby pawn shop, converting the government property into personal cash.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Wuornos pawned Carskaddon's gun, per court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pawn
Noun
At least 200 of those phones were allegedly sold at a pawn shop.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors say Southerland later sold more than 200 of the phones to a nearby pawn shop, converting the government property into personal cash.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
If a helmet is too outdated for your family to use, don't pawn it off on someone else.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Wuornos pawned Carskaddon's gun, per court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawn
Verb
-
Those include obligations to stay in Switzerland, deposit his identity documents with prosecutors and report to police every day.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Over time, through a natural process known as accretion, the river slowly deposited the material that now forms Sawmill Island.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The page gave a deep snort, hocking a chartreuse wad against the root of the nightingale’s birch.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
19 Nov. 2025
-
Shein is far from the first online retailer to run into trouble with third-party vendors hocking controversial wares or flouting policy standards.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Is that enough of a sample size to mortgage the team’s future?—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Second and third mortgaging the house.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawn. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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