as in penitentiary
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
earned six years in a federal pen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in writer
a person who creates a written work
Alexander Hamilton is reckoned to be the pseudonymous pen behind two thirds of the Federalist Papers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to house
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers
remember to pen up the dogs when visitors come over
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to write
to compose and set down on paper the words of
though relatively unknown at the time of his death, the composer had penned some of the most memorable show tunes of his era
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 pen
Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 18 May 2026
In his final months at Reading, Wilde was given pen and paper.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Several of Willis’ fellow Zappa alums penned tributes, including drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Chad Wackerman.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pen
Noun
It’s designed with eight drawers in various depths to hold everything from pens to notebooks.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 18 May 2026
In his final months at Reading, Wilde was given pen and paper.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026
Verb
Bendis also penned a story centered on Sulu after an encounter with George Takei, the actor who inhabited the character.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Several of Willis’ fellow Zappa alums penned tributes, including drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Chad Wackerman.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pen
Noun
-
In the early 1970s, the penitentiary remained poorly funded, and prison officials hoped to make money on the rodeo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 May 2026
-
Al Capone was transferred by train to a federal penitentiary in Atlanta.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
On the upper, the brand’s ToeTection abrasion cage provides durability and protection while helping establish a lockdown support.—
Tim Newcomb,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Remain outdoors when cleaning any equipment associated with raising or caring for poultry, such as cages, feed, water containers and other materials.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The late New Yorker writer Donald Barthleme, an absurdist, is often cited as an example.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
And yet every day writers call me from conference rooms at their day jobs, or cramped kitchens with their children, or cars sitting in their driveways—sometimes the only place quiet enough to think.—
David O’Neill,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
To survive these transformations, rich states have resorted among other things to the ever greater exploitation, not only of poor states, but also of the human and ecological capital housed within them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Between 75 and 90 percent of Housing First participants remain housed after one year, which is significantly higher than traditional treatment-first models.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Who wouldn’t want to read and write about books all day?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
There has been books written about it.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Cities spend millions cycling people through jails for sleeping outside while affordable housing waitlists continue to grow.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
He is being held in the county jail on a $15,000 cash bond.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The girls would meet by the coop.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
Your local university coop extension service (find yours here) is a great starting place to learn about local wildlife issues.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Saunders’ analysis of his quartet of authors and their stories also puts me in mind of an observation by the late playwright Tom Stoppard.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.—
Eric Welch,
The Conversation,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pen. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
