penned 1 of 3

adjective

as in enclosed

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penned

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of pen
as in housed
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers remember to pen up the dogs when visitors come over

Synonyms & Similar Words

penned

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of pen
as in wrote
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 penned
Adjective
According to the outlets, the complaint alleges Kristin Wert was struck from behind, thrown into the air and trampled after Party Bus escaped the penned area. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 Writer and vocalist Linda Perry was later inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and penned hits for Pink, Christina Aguilera, and Adele. — Ryan Brennan april 8, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026 Michael McGrale also co-penned. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
In February, Sánchez penned an op-ed in The New York Times defending his stance on regulated migration. — Miguel MacIas, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 When Pope Francis died in 2025, Smith penned a poem about him. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2026 Back in February, Hewitt penned an exclusive essay for Elle and candidly shared her reason for not breastfeeding. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 The article was published on Monday, three days before Boeke penned the initial memo about the tour program’s suspension. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026 Nicholls has penned the eight-part adaptation, which will be produced by Normal People maker Element Pictures. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 July 2026 Last weekend, Paul's office released a trove of journal entries penned by Fauci. — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Emanuel, who is CEO of TKO Group and former head of Endeavor, penned an op-ed published Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 July 2026 Foden signed his new contract last week, while Haaland penned a nine-and-a-half-year deal in January 2025. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penned
  1. enclosed
  2. housed
  3. wrote
  4. caged
  5. included
  6. imprisoned
  7. encased
  8. bolted
Adjective
  • There’s a mirrored hallway that shines like a disco ball, artwork painted by a co-owner, a DJ booth prominent in the dining space and, open to the air, sidewalk seating and a semi-enclosed patio.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • Owners can opt for a semi-enclosed galley, which adds a bit of space from the main saloon, or can fully enclose the galley for more separation.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
Definition of enclosed
Verb
  • The shop opened earlier this summer and is located at 1108 E 30th St F, housed in the Wonder Shops and Flats building alongside other establishments like The Combine and AiZen Root Remedy.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Plans have yet to be finalized for the largest of the buildings, which formerly housed the plant’s gigantic boilers, but options include classrooms, an indoor play space or an oceanographic institute, according to the project’s designers.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of housed
Verb
  • Lawmakers from both parties wrote aggressive budget caps in 2017, when Republicans held half the seats in the Senate.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Harrelson wrote, directed and starred in Lost in London, the first feature film shot in a single continuous take and broadcast live to theaters.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrote
Adjective
  • Some of the caged cats were held fast in feces that had hardened like concrete.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Somewhere between a sandal and a ballet flat, caged silhouettes come in all manner of guises.
    — Sarah Leigh Bannerman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Definition of caged
Verb
  • At the time, the group included the United Arab Emirates as well.
    — Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Insider tip While nearly every dining experience at Grupo Xcaret is included in your stay, there’s one exception.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of included
Adjective
  • The new version of Hannibal starred Mads Mikkelsen as a pre-imprisoned Hannibal Lecter, forging a relationship with Hugh Dancy’s Will Graham.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Fujimori, the daughter of a disgraced former president, and Sánchez, an ally of an imprisoned ex-president, beat 33 other candidates in the initial vote in April, but neither earned even 20% of support.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 June 2026
Definition of imprisoned
Verb
  • To ensure the integrity of the mold, only high-quality clay is used and then encased in steel sleeves designed to withstand extreme pressure.
    — Philipp Jenne, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • The eight-story building is stylish, with a red brick facade encased in glass and steel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
Definition of encased
Adjective
  • Unlike standard wheels, which rely solely on air pressure to push the tire against the rim, beadlocks use a bolted outer ring to physically sandwich the tire in place.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 June 2026
Definition of bolted

Browse Nearby Words

pennants
penned
penniless
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Cite this Entry

“Penned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penned. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on penned

Nglish: Translation of penned for Spanish Speakers

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