pawn 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈpȯn How to pronounce pawn (audio)
Definition of pawnnext
as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another though he liked to play up his influence with city hall, he was really just another pawn of the political bosses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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pawn

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in pledge
something given or held to assure that the giver will keep a promise offered her license as a pawn that she would bring back the rental canoe

Synonyms & Similar Words

pawn

3 of 3

verb

as in to deposit
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan he pawned his antique watch in order to pay off his gambling debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pawn
Noun
But the comedian is, of course, looking for ways to make the most out of being a pawn in the crushing game of corporate consolidation. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 Harvey Keitel co-stars as a fellow veteran hired by Trejo’s character to work at the pawn shop. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
There were 46 items in the safe, some of which Kisakye allegedly pawned and sold to feed a substantial gambling habit. — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 3 June 2026 If a helmet is too outdated for your family to use, don't pawn it off on someone else. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawn
  1. tool
  2. pledge
  3. deposit
  4. minion
  5. guarantee
  6. hock
  7. victim
  8. security
Noun
  • Better monitoring tools can help farmers identify disease threats earlier and avoid expensive eradication campaigns.
    — Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While federal scientists have created a national model to assess the likelihood of post-fire debris flows, communities don’t have an easily accessible tool to gauge their risk of post-fire flooding.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of tool
Noun
  • New York — Brett Smiley was elected mayor of Providence in 2022 on a pledge to build more housing and get things done in Rhode Island’s capital city.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • And while tax law partially achieves his pledge to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, the reality is a little more complicated.
    — Josephine Murphy, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pledge
Verb
  • Printing these flexible devices requires depositing two layers at once.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Though the delay from RTO is often only a day, mail can be delayed longer if it’s deposited in a mailbox after the daily pickup time, or just before Sunday or a holiday.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of deposit
Noun
  • Gavin Newsom’s legislative minions just got a lesson in constitutional supremacy.
    — , FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There are references to demons, being burned alive, and the duende king explicitly commands his minions to kill Jo and Raissa.
    — Parents, Parents, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of minion
Noun
  • Obviously, there’s no guarantee a healthy Hurts would win those awards.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Past performance definitely is no guarantee of future results, of course.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of guarantee
Verb
  • So too are editor Pauline Gaillard’s sharp cuts, which are often timed exactly to coincide with the moment that someone lost in faraway thought finishes swirling their mouthful of Pinot Noir and hocks it unceremoniously into a nearby receptacle.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The page gave a deep snort, hocking a chartreuse wad against the root of the nightingale’s birch.
    — Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Definition of hock
Noun
  • The attack shocked the nation, and Jordan declared three days of mourning for the victims.
    — Omar Akour, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • On Sunday, Jordan’s Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah attended a funeral held for the victims while Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited the injured in the hospital earlier.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • And security researchers have found vulnerabilities in the app, including one that allowed an attacker to access user data, the Information reported.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Raj Panjabi is a Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham physician, adviser to the Governors Public Health Alliance, and former White House senior director for global health security and biodefense at the National Security Council.
    — Raj Panjabi, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of security

Browse Nearby Words

pawky
pawn
pawned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawn. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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