PAWNS Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

pawns 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of pawn

as in tools

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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pawns

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of pawn

as in pledges

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

pawns

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of pawn

as in mortgages

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

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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 pawns

Noun

Melton was a Mountain West All-Academic pick who today is an avid chess player, moving pawns on his phone or going toe-to-toe with Justin Verlander in the middle of the clubhouse. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 With no end to the war in sight, inflation on the rise, fuel rationing and continued threats of strikes, the vast majority of the Iranian population appear not to be players, but pawns. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026 Gulf governments, meanwhile, have dabbled abroad as well, while trying to address grievances among their own Shia populations to prevent them from becoming pawns of Tehran. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 15 June 2026 The organization is treating these athletes as political pawns instead of as young people with their own families, goals, futures and careers to think about. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026 Making the lives of Idahoans affordable, fixing healthcare, helping farmers produce affordable food and still make a living, saving our public lands and national forest for future generations, and making sure vets, servicemen and women and seniors are not used as pawns in political games. — Kevin Fixler may 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 May 2026 Most people don’t think children should be pawns in any politician’s culture war. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026 The costume is meant to reflect the pawns in a game of chess. — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 23 Apr. 2026 According to The Guardian, three military family advocacy organizations reported that the Marines felt like political pawns. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawns

Noun

Tropical Storm Edouard spaghetti models Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal.

— Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Cover letters have become one of the most valuable tools to help a candidate stand out.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of tools

Verb

So my guess/belief/thought is that the executive trio is hoping for the best this year, but is unwilling to do anything that mortgages future seasons.

— Josh Kendall, New York Times, 9 July 2026
Those are the players in recent memory who’ve commanded the kind of draft capital that reshapes franchises — the sort of seismic move that mortgages a future and, in return, attaches expectations normally reserved for franchise-carrying superstars.

— Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026

Definition of mortgages

Verb

The manufacturing technology deposits continuous reinforcement during 3D printing.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Rather than dramatically changing your natural hair color, a gloss deposits tone onto the hair and can soften the appearance of gray while adding shine.

— Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of deposits

Noun

Hundreds of puppets had to be created, and fitting characters like the Smiling Friends that were clearly designed for 2D animation into 3D spaces required some fabrication miracles.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2026
Other inspirations for the project include the Giant Pink Sea Snail from Doctor Dolittle, giant mechanical elephant puppets by Royal de Luxe and Jules Verne’s imaginative creations.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of puppets

Noun

Mortgage rates are also influenced by other factors, like investor demand for Treasury securities and broader economic conditions.

— Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of next year, according to a securities filing.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of securities

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pawning

pawns

paws

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“Pawns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawns. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pawns

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

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