pen pal

noun

Synonyms of pen palnext
: a friend made and kept through correspondence

Examples of pen pal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As Ten’s lovelorn prison pen pal Lillian, an immobile shut-in, Peggy Fields Richardson initially appears to be a punchline, but goes on to deliver a nuanced turn as a woman who’s long awaited her chance at romance. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Among them are Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, who first met at Bible camp, became pen pals, and reconnected years later. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 16 Oct. 2026 Some years later, almost just as astonishingly, Stephen Dixon and I became pen pals. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 But for them, that wasn’t so far from the spirit of the early days, when kids in different towns connected via zines and became long-distance pen pals. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pen pal

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pen pal was in 1925

Rhymes for pen pal

See All Rhymes for pen pal

Browse Nearby Words

penorcon
pen pal
pen palsy
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Cite this Entry

“Pen pal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pen%20pal. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pen pal

noun
: a friend made and kept through letter-writing

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