pawn 1 of 3

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

pawn

2 of 3

noun (2)

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

pawn

3 of 3

verb

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

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.
Recent Examples of pawn
Noun
Dragging us along as pawns to keep the show going and money flowing into his pot? Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Bill Wilkins was a pawn in Valak’s scheme to possess Janet Hodgson. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
The center of the Miami action is Alexia’s maybe divorce from Todd, a fake Rolex Rudy Giuliani tried to pawn to pay his legal bills. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 June 2025 Firms are also shirking responsibility for duties and seeking to pawn tariff costs off on suppliers. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawn
Verb
  • Think of it as one fund, and whatever money everyone deposits into this goes into the investment of the casino.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The commission found the drop box acceptable as officials properly secured the box to the ground throughout its use and there were no allegations that ballots deposited in the drop box were not properly accounted for and processed on Election Day.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Conversely, Soto was like the guy who hocks his wedding ring before the separation agreement is signed.
    Greg Marotta, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Others see it as a money grab in which the country is being mortgaged in the name of fighting criminal gangs.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Masha confesses to an affair with married army officer Vershinin (James Lewis), while Andrey admits to having mortgaged the family home, without his sisters’ consent, to pay his gambling debts.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawn. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pawn

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!