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
Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
He is loved deeply by his family, but becomes a pawn in a larger game that plays out between him and his brother.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2025
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
Noun
As both Beijing’s experience dealing with Pyongyang and, to a lesser extent, Washington’s experience with Taipei demonstrate, these smaller partners are not mere pawns to be traded away.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
He is loved deeply by his family, but becomes a pawn in a larger game that plays out between him and his brother.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Aug. 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
-
This ensures lithium is deposited smoothly across the anode, effectively suppressing dendrite growth even under rapid-charging conditions.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
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The federal government will deposit $1,000 into each account, with parents and others allowed to contribute up to $5,000 a year until the child reaches 18 years old.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
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Bandcamp’s cut is 15% on digital sales and 10% when hocking physical stuff (t-shirts, vinyl, CDs, cassettes, etc).—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Pawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawn. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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