pen·cil
ˈpen(t)-səl 
1
: an artist's brush
2
: an artist's individual skill or style
3
a
: an implement for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance
b
: a small medicated or cosmetic roll or stick for local applications
4
: a set of geometric objects each pair of which has a common property
the lines in a plane through a point comprise a pencil of lines
5
: something (such as a beam of radiation) long and thin like a pencil
penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling
ˈpen(t)-s(ə-)liŋ
1
: to paint, draw, write, or mark with a pencil
2
: to plan or designate tentatively
—used with in
penciled him in as the nominee
Examples of pencil in a Sentence
Noun
Use a pencil instead of a pen so you can erase your mistakes.
Verb
He penciled some notes on a piece of paper.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 June 2025
Johnson isn’t some whiz kid with a pencil tucked behind his ear.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 3 June 2025
If the math doesn’t pencil out early, no amount of wishful thinking will make up for it.
—David Crown, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pencil
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Noun
Here are a few considerations to ponder before purchasing a pencil holder.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 June 2025
Johnson isn’t some whiz kid with a pencil tucked behind his ear.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
Verb
The genre-bending novel tells the story of a young woman who discovers her family’s magical ability to restore the memories that pencils hold.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 3 June 2025
If the math doesn’t pencil out early, no amount of wishful thinking will make up for it.
—David Crown, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pencil
Cite this Entry
“Pencil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pencil. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pencil
1 of 2 noun
pen·cil
ˈpen(t)-səl
1
: an instrument for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance
2
: something like a pencil in form or use
an eyebrow pencil
pencil
2 of 2 verb
penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling
ˈpen(t)-s(ə-)liŋ
: to mark, draw, or write with or as if with a pencil
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pensel "an artist's brush, pencil," from early French pincel (same meaning), derived from Latin penicillus, literally, "little tail" — related to penicillin see Word History at 3pen
Medical Definition
pencil
noun
pen·cil
ˈpen(t)-səl
1
: a small medicated or cosmetic roll or stick for local applications
a menthol pencil
2
: an aggregate of rays of radiation (as light) especially when diverging from or converging to a point
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