1
as in writer
a person who creates a written work
the prolific penman of dozens of horror stories
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2
as in scribe
one who writes from dictation or copies manuscripts
an essay on Jacob Shallus, the penman who inked the United States Constitution
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Recent Examples of penman
Miley admires the Shakes enough to have invited their Sound & Color engineer, Shawn Everett, to join Something Beautiful’s production crew (also present: Cyrus’s punk-rock significant other, Maxx Morando; pop penman Michael Pollack; and members of indie-rock acts Foxygen and Alvvays).
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 June 2025
Its design by Leonardo Fioravanti, the prolific penman who created, among other Ferrari masterpieces, the Dino and 308 GTB, was an instant hit.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2023
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 June 2025
Its design by Leonardo Fioravanti, the prolific penman who created, among other Ferrari masterpieces, the Dino and 308 GTB, was an instant hit.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penman
Noun
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The late New Yorker writer Donald Barthleme, an absurdist, is often cited as an example.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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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
Noun
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Those called out by Che are not the only scribes who worked on the roast.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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The scribe wrote the script for Moonshot, a sci-fi romantic comedy that starred Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse and that debuted on HBO Max in 2022.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
“Penman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penman. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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