Meaning & use
pawn
The chess piece of the lowest value, able to move forward one square at a time.
See it in a sentence
She sacrificed a pawn early in the game to gain a stronger position later.
He felt like a pawn in his coworkers' office politics, moved around without being consulted.
A note on using this word
Figuratively, calling someone a 'pawn' means they are being used by others to achieve a larger goal, with little power of their own.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To leave a valuable item with a pawnbroker as security for a short-term loan.
He had to pawn his watch to cover rent until his next paycheck arrived.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pawn”, then compare your use with the examples above.