Synonyms of pawns

pawns 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of pawn

as in tools

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

• tools
• minions
• puppets
• victims
• suckers
• instruments
• lay figures
• cat's-paws
• dupes
• chumps
• foils
• gulls
• stooges
• yes-men
• lap dogs

pawns

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of pawn

as in pledges

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

• pledges
• guarantees
• securities
• deposits
• gages
• promises
• assurances
• guaranties
• bonds
• contracts
• bails
• down payments
• earnests
• handsels
• oaths
• commitments
• sureties
• compacts
• words
• warranties
• troths
• covenants
• recognizances

pawns

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of pawn

as in mortgages

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

• mortgages
• deposits
• hocks
• bonds
• pledges

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• buys (back)
• wins (back)
• redeems

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pawns

Noun

Personnel is what’s important, but Scaloni treats his players as people, not as pawns on a chessboard. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Gulf governments, meanwhile, have dabbled abroad as well, while trying to address grievances among their own Shia populations to prevent them from becoming pawns of Tehran. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 15 June 2026

The organization is treating these athletes as political pawns instead of as young people with their own families, goals, futures and careers to think about. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026

Making the lives of Idahoans affordable, fixing healthcare, helping farmers produce affordable food and still make a living, saving our public lands and national forest for future generations, and making sure vets, servicemen and women and seniors are not used as pawns in political games. — Kevin Fixler may 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 May 2026

Most people don’t think children should be pawns in any politician’s culture war. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026

The costume is meant to reflect the pawns in a game of chess. — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 23 Apr. 2026

According to The Guardian, three military family advocacy organizations reported that the Marines felt like political pawns. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026

But, in the slammers investigation, nearly all the people being prosecuted were pawns—passengers who’d agreed to ride in cars. — Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026