as in enclosing
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers
remember to pen up the dogs when visitors come over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in writing
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
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Recent Examples of penning
Tim Chan, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Jared Hess, who directed last year’s film, is set to return to direct the video game adaptation and is penning the script with Chris Galletta, one of the original scribers.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2026
Both have worked for the Adam Smith Center since penning the pieces.
—Daniel Rivero, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Brennan explained that explorations of society’s associations with mental health, both broadly in the aftermath of World War II and specifically Gein’s own struggles with schizophrenia, were top of mind when penning the script.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Clapton, meanwhile, had secretly fallen for Boyd years earlier, which led to a complicated dynamic that would later become the stuff of rock legend, with Clapton even penning songs about her.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
The couple were deeply involved in literary circles, collected books avidly, read voraciously as well as penning various works.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Ann Wilson has been penning poetry lately.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
Director Simon McQuoid has returned for the sequel, with a new screenwriter, Jeremy Slater, penning the script.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
Verb
The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has long been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, penning songs that have inspired and uplifted countless listeners, while supporting organizations like GLAAD.
—Tim Chan, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Jared Hess, who directed last year’s film, is set to return to direct the video game adaptation and is penning the script with Chris Galletta, one of the original scribers.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2026
Both have worked for the Adam Smith Center since penning the pieces.
—Daniel Rivero, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Brennan explained that explorations of society’s associations with mental health, both broadly in the aftermath of World War II and specifically Gein’s own struggles with schizophrenia, were top of mind when penning the script.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Clapton, meanwhile, had secretly fallen for Boyd years earlier, which led to a complicated dynamic that would later become the stuff of rock legend, with Clapton even penning songs about her.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
The couple were deeply involved in literary circles, collected books avidly, read voraciously as well as penning various works.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Ann Wilson has been penning poetry lately.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
Director Simon McQuoid has returned for the sequel, with a new screenwriter, Jeremy Slater, penning the script.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penning
Verb
-
The sidewalls connect the beads to the tread, enclosing the tire’s body.—
Jason Fogelson,
AJC.com,
29 May 2026
-
This was not so much about wrapping key players in cotton wool but also enclosing them in bubble wrap, doing everything to avoid injury.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
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This includes my place not only as a writer—who like my grandfather had, is writing books, teaching college, and engaged in psychoanalytic thought—but also as a someone who has similarly dedicated her life to the pursuit of learning, understanding, and expression through language.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
His strength is writing policy, not executing it.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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In addition to housing the festival, operated by De Niro and Rosenthal’s production company Tribeca Enterprises, the city raised many of this year’s directors and served as both character and backdrop for a slew of the films in the current slate.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
-
After housing federal agencies for more than a century, the structure eventually sat vacant before Kimpton turned it into a hotel in 2002.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The rescue caps off the busiest season ever on Everest with more than 1,000 climbers summiting the mountain’s south side, including a record 274 in a single day on May 20.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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NellaSpec also offers a reusable option for clinical settings that is now in hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic, UC Systems, Kaiser, and Columbia, and the cost is part of the exam, according to the company.—
Wendy Naugle,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Cages were originally for holding birds or other animals, and then, by extension, for confining and punishing humans.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
It’s made clear that the chief antagonist is Philip, who starts off by griping that Madeleine isn’t confining herself to her half of the suite.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The concrete cap of a tomb encasing radioactive fallout now has cracks, and what’s beneath can rise from the dead.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The crunchy encasing pairs perfectly with the melty cheese and various fillings inside, including cheese, tinga, potato and chorizo, and raja (strips of peppers and onions).—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The backstory Lizard Island was declared a National Park in 1937, the surrounding waters were recognised as a National Marine Park in 1974, and the Great Barrier Reef was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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While questions continue to swirl regarding the possibility of biological lifeforms being in the possession of the federal government, Heckenlively is offering a stark warning surrounding the reality of aliens and humans coming into contact with each other.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
Verb
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The type of tomato plant and whether it is supported with staking or caging factors into spacing.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
Unlike staking tomatoes, which requires hands-on maintenance to continually tie the stems to the support, caging is nearly maintenance-free.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penning. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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