1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

pen 1 of 5

noun (1)

Definition of pennext
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

pen

2 of 5

noun (2)

as in cage
an enclosure with an open framework for keeping animals a goat pen

Synonyms & Similar Words

pen

3 of 5

noun (3)

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

pen

4 of 5

verb (1)

ˈpen How to pronounce pen (audio)
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

pen

5 of 5

verb (2)

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
Noun
This can be computerized, traditional pen and paper or a combination of the two. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 In 1979, the couple bought space in a former pen factory near 18th Street and Broadway. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
Kelce penned a special message for Worthy, who shared a photo of the jersey on his Instagram story. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 The couple, who tied the knot in the season 1 finale, are also set to start penning the first pages of their very own love story this season. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pen
  1. penitentiary
  2. cage
  3. writer
  4. house
  5. write
  6. jail
  7. coop
  8. author
Noun
  • Still, even on video, Davis doesn’t appear wracked with guilt or anguish about the possibility of spending the rest of his life in the Nevada penitentiary system.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Beginning in 1908, after federal prisons opened in Atlanta, Georgia, and Leavenworth, Kansas, most federal prisoners were sent to these new federal prisons, and cells began to empty at the West Virginia state penitentiary.
    — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of penitentiary
Noun
  • Ohtani was held out for the third consecutive game, but Dave Roberts said the two-way star didn’t report pain after hitting in the cages during the game.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So, experts designed a special crate suspended in a metal cage to keep the object steady and cool in the back of a truck.
    — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of cage
Noun
  • The three writers attempted to balance overall talent with building a sensible basketball team.
    — Victor Wembanyama, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In particular, actors should look for opportunities to work with experienced directors, producers, writers and performers who understand the demands of the business.
    — E'Ian West, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of writer
Verb
  • Fort Taylor is a national historic monument and state park that houses the largest collection of Civil War armament in the world.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The classroom houses Watson's dual language immersion program, one of two in the Little Rock School District, where students receive much of their instruction in Spanish and learn to speak, read and write in both Spanish and English.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of house
Verb
  • James Horncastle wrote a really great guide on what to expect.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Capricorn December 22 – January 19 A financial conversation may reveal more than what’s written on the bill.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of write
Noun
  • Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, of Simi Valley, was arrested Tuesday night and was being held at a Los Angeles jail with bail set at $4 million, police said Wednesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
  • At the time, Brown, who has a history of mental health problems, was out of jail on bail for misuse of the 911 system.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • Kept in coops throughout the region, the birds are routinely tested for viruses.
    — Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Outside, the lush grounds host a 55-foot pool with a spillover spa, a kitchen and bar barbecue setup, a meditation garden with an infrared sauna, a stream, and a chicken—or peacock—coop.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of coop
Noun
  • The authors would like to thank HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science for providing research funding informing this article.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Rose, an Atlanta chef, cookbook author and television personality, isn’t relying on the barbecue sauce to do all the work.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of author

Browse Nearby Words

pelts
pen
penal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pen. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pen

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All