Definition of penmanshipnext
1
as in handwriting
the form or style of a particular person's writing doctors are famous for their illegible penmanship

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2
as in calligraphy
writing done by hand the students spend far more time honing their computer skills than they do improving their penmanship

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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 penmanship Many pointed to an episode from the month prior, where a response from contestant Sadie Goldberger was not accepted because of her penmanship. — Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026 For one project, Gentry combined penmanship samples from her family members to invent a unique font for a fictional restaurant’s branding. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 June 2026 The highest enrollment was likely in 1909, with some 90 students studying bookkeeping, telegraphy, penmanship, math and English. — Arkansas Online, 23 Apr. 2026 Cursive Academy, founded by husband and wife Terrell and Chelsea Whittington, earned its nonprofit status in November 2025 and partners with organizations, companies and individuals to resurrect the art of penmanship. — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penmanship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penmanship
Noun
  • The show is arranged in eight parts and begins with a large white wall at the entrance with the title of the show scrawled in RM’s handwriting.
    — Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The support for styluses like the Surface Pen on touch screens is robust, with incredibly smooth handwriting-to-text conversion and pressure sensitivity.
    — Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Two other performers this year, the festival’s special guests, are Rinsen Wakayagi, a Shihan-level Nihonbuyo dancer and Sora Shodo, a sumi ink calligraphy and live performance artist.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 24 Sep. 2026
  • My eyes were then drawn to the striking artworks, including Kim Jong Gu’s Water, Rock, Pine, Bamboo, Moon—a towering steel powder painting inspired by calligraphy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Penmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penmanship. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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