PENNED Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

penned 1 of 3

adjective

as in enclosed

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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

Meanwhile, fashion designer Stella McCartney penned sombr’s tribute, connecting the young artist’s musical upbringing and praising his ability to turn those influences into something that is vastly his own. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026 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

Morisseau’s play, which dates back to 2019 and was penned to fulfill a commission offered by People’s Light Theatre in Malvern, Pennsylvania, takes place in a living room. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Following the September meeting, Associate Dean Manuela Wagner and Stamford Campus Dean Jennifer Orlikoff penned a letter recommending termination. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 Gibson referenced the appeals court decision penned by Neff and warned the stations about the law protecting grand jury information. — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026 Deeply personal film about adoption co-penned by producer Gaibja Siurbyte -Jankauskas’ partner. — Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Plot details have not yet been shared for Upgraded 2, which has a script from Luke Roberts and Justin Matthews, who penned the first film. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 Hosted by acclaimed songwriter Ross Golan, who has penned hits for Selena Gomez, Jason Derulo, and Celine Dion, the weekly podcast offers a peek behind the scenes at how the song sausage is made. — Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026 After Parton’s death in August, Cyrus penned another tribute to her on social media. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 17 Oct. 2026 Their research included the study of the erotic novels penned by Spanish writer and fashion designer Álvaro Retana, who also wrote lyrics for saucy songs of the type that Cruz performs in La Bola Negra. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for penned

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 group has organized several listening events, at venues from the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania to the Angel Orensanz Center, housed in a 175-year-old former synagogue in New York.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Check into Trevarefabrikken, a photogenic boutique hotel and cultural hub in a mossy-yellow building that once housed a cod liver oil factory.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of housed

Verb

Khalilzad on Friday wrote on X that there had been reports of Pakistan arming Afghans to fight the Taliban inside Afghanistan and of the Pakistani military recruiting Afghans to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Inspiring others In 1981, Runner’s World magazine published an article that Godby wrote about his 1978 run.

— Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrote

Adjective

An Eagle man charged with animal cruelty in the shooting deaths of two caged cats was ordered to serve a total of 14 days in jail after accepting a plea deal in August, according to court records.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Traveling with a coffin and a caged panther, Claire hasn’t come alone.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of caged

Verb

Slide 1 of 15 The entries included license plate numbers, descriptions of vehicles and descriptions of law enforcement personnel Willie Herndon believed were following him, the complaint said.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Common complaints from Atlantans included parking that was too expensive, traffic woes and a real estate shift in the area.

— Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of included

Adjective

The favorite to win Brazil’s election has promised to free his imprisoned father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, grant amnesty to supporters and impeach Supreme Court justices.

— Marina Dias, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
The company is required by its contract and state policy to provide mental health treatment, education and other services to imprisoned youth.

— Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of imprisoned

Verb

The mRNA coding for these proteins, or antigens, are encased in a lipid particle in a similar way to Moderna’s COVID vaccine, which used mRNA from the COVID virus’ spike protein.

— Alice Park, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
The arthropod group includes animals that are without a backbone or any bones at all, strictly speaking, their bodies being encased in a ringed, exterior tegument and having legs and, sometimes, wings.

— Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of encased

Adjective

Sondheimer has bloodied his hands climbing over a fence to exit a bolted stadium.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of penned

adjective

verb (1)

verb (2)

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes