PENS Synonyms: 197 Similar and Opposite Words

pens 1 of 5

noun (1)

plural of pen

as in jails

a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody earned six years in a federal pen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

outsides

pens

2 of 5

noun (2)

plural of pen

as in cages

an enclosure with an open framework for keeping animals a goat pen

Synonyms & Similar Words

pens

3 of 5

noun (3)

plural of pen

as in writers

a person who creates a written work Alexander Hamilton is reckoned to be the pseudonymous pen behind two thirds of the Federalist Papers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonauthors

pens

4 of 5

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of pen

as in houses

to close or shut in by or as if by barriers remember to pen up the dogs when visitors come over

Synonyms & Similar Words

pens

5 of 5

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of pen

as in writes

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 pens

Noun

But Safdie kept adding more films, and then still more, in block letters using pens of different colors. — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Best known for stationery, pens and diary books and, more recently, leather goods and accessories, Smythson returned to Madison Avenue with a shop in early October after a three-year absence. — David Moin, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 The result is five limited-edition pens that reference or incorporate the nation’s craft traditions. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026 The holding pens are divided into smaller units, used as offices, studios, cafes, clubs and restaurants. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 As the air alarm sounds over Izium, the children drop their drawing pens, tubes of glue, and felt-cutting scissors in unison and make for the door. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 Nail Polish Pens Create your own nail art or tackle quick touch ups with precision polish pens that dry in about 60 seconds. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 Even small items like mason jars can be repurposed to hold pens and pencils or makeup brushes, the Salvation Army team says. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 25 Sep. 2026 But the gates leading into the ostrich pens were now behind police lines. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Verb

This week, Gracie Abrams pens a tearjerker on mother-daughter relationships, Steve Lacy escapes the abyss of a breakup on a colossal double track, and Beabadoobee contemplates risk and reward on a fuzzy new single. — Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026 Sarah Rothschild pens the screenplay with Elizabeth Cantillon producing. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2026 Amazon moved fast to board the project and the film will now be a big priority at the studio as Loeb pens the script. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026 Yousafzai pens a portrait of a young woman discovering her identity amid immense pressure. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025 The series kicks off when Dale Washberg (Tim Blake Nelson), a member of a powerful Oklahoma family, pens a suicide note, hides it inside a book on his shelves, and then shoots himself in the head. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 The plot kicks off when the Reverend Mother (a delightful Olivia Colman), who runs the Home for Retired Bears, pens a dire message to Paddington about his beloved Aunt Lucy. — Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pens

Noun

The $1 million would come from the same pool of mostly property-tax dollars that fund police, jails, parks and transit.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
And the administration persuaded more and more local police and jails to carry out the president’s mass deportation campaign, sweeping still more immigrants into custody.

— Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of jails

Noun

The objects’ sculptural cages add another layer to the work, connecting them to ideas of protection and exclusion.

— Jade Wilson, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Experts told the Herald that the use of such cages as punishment could violate international laws against torture and degrading treatment.

— Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of cages

Noun

Information for this article was contributed by staff writers of The Associated Press and Constant Méheut of The New York Times.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Lanterns works so well in part because it was conceived as a standalone complete story, albeit one with ramifications for future DCU projects, thereby freeing up the writers to create something truly unique, with no forced, awkward tie-ins.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of writers

Verb

The store houses Smythson’s full selection, and also features a dedicated bespoke stationery salon, the only one outside of London, where customers can book a one-on-one appointment with a stationery specialist.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The Brooklyn store also houses a small theater that hosts close-up magic performances, with Molly serving as the opening act, according to Rubin.

— Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of houses

Verb

Gutierrez writes about that, his early childhood in Cuba, and leadership lessons from his career in his new book, Sheer Will.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Shane Gillis’ dumb joke raised serious issues about women, fashion and sexuality, columnist Robin Abcarian writes.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of writes

Noun

Fewer than half of the 170,000 inmates released from California prisons between 2015 and 2019 found jobs, and many of those jobs were temporary, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

— Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
For several years, people in custody, advocates and local media have sounded the alarm about the dangers posed by extreme temperatures in Pennsylvania’s state prisons.

— Jaquelyn Jahn, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of prisons

Noun

Kept in coops throughout the region, the birds are routinely tested for viruses.

— Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Melissa Knicely, a public information officer with Animal Care and Control, said permitting has increased over the past decade as more residents seek fresh eggs and set up coops at home.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2026

Definition of coops

Noun

The authors found a long-run relationship between top incomes and art prices and argued that high-end art prices are driven less by the average person’s buying power than by how much the wealthiest can spend.

— Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
The authors noted the circumstances surrounding the violent act, and whether other early humans could have been involved in the individual’s death, were completely unknown.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of authors

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pen pals

pens

pension

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Style

“Pens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pens. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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