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
Relevance
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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pawns
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
Most people don’t think children should be pawns in any politician’s culture war.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 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
But, in the slammers investigation, nearly all the people being prosecuted were pawns—passengers who’d agreed to ride in cars.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
Most people don’t think children should be pawns in any politician’s culture war.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 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
But, in the slammers investigation, nearly all the people being prosecuted were pawns—passengers who’d agreed to ride in cars.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawns
Noun
-
Mendoza said that the search had been exceedingly difficult without the right tools.
-
The Drug Enforcement Administration does have those tools, and sometimes works with Brennan's office to investigate cases.
Noun
-
Merz’s coalition of center-right and center-left parties took office just over a year ago with pledges to reform and turn around Germany’s sluggish economy, Europe’s biggest.
-
After all the task forces and the pledges and the panels, the corner office is still primarily held by white women.
Verb
-
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.
Noun
-
For example, a group of minions might be pretending to fight a group of Vikings on a movie set, or enough alien spaceships to fill the entire screen appear and shoot their lasers at once.
-
And minions have taken over Wendy’s frosty machines with a new banana flavor.
Noun
-
Over time, create a constituency of parents and young adults who prefer individualized market returns over the collective guarantees of the Social Security Trust Fund.
-
And strong support policies, such as an extended return window and money-back guarantees, now act as safeguards that can help customers feel more confident about their purchase.
Verb
-
The lightweight cream deposits a subtle wash of color, and blends tracelessly to create a fresh-faced, no-makeup-makeup finish.
-
This is one in which the user deposits cash that serves as its’ purchase limit.
Noun
-
It is based on a screenplay and directed by the theater’s veteran puppeteer Florian Moch, who has brought the story’s underwater world and colourful community of fish to life through traditional puppetry, crafting most of the puppets himself.
-
Beyond the music, there are festive parades, workshops for making puppets or gardening, a 5K run, yoga, silent discos and much more.
Noun
-
As of July 2026, Jefferies is reportedly being investigated by the SEC and several law firms for securities violations related to that exposure.
-
China’s crackdown on offshore securities trading hit one of the biggest US trading firms to the tune of $70 million — and shows that (alleged) insider trading hasn’t moved entirely to prediction markets.
Cite this Entry
“Pawns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawns. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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