🖊️ A writing tool 🐖 An animal enclosure 🚔 A prison ✍️ To write 👶 A play enclosure 🦢 A female swan

to pen

38 6.0

To write something carefully, often a long text

verb
/pɛn/

Literature

: escribir

Ever wonder what it might be like to glide down the Amazon River and pen a destination piece?

It's a that very line is in Carl Sagan penned in his book A Pale Blue dot.

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Examples

I also began to explore my desire to pen non-fiction news pieces on culture.

Blog text (5)
Once inside the car, I found a notepad and pen in the glove compartment and wrote out the new insulin instructions.

Fiction book (2000)
And once a month I would pen a letter.
Tell them how I got down there to pen my name at the bottom of the bay.

Fiction book (1996)
Meanwhile, keep pushing and pen that great story that you feel is fighting to come out.

Blog text (21)
I just don't have it in me to pen another novel right now.

Blog text (28)
Instead, she took a pad and pen from the drawer of her nightstand and sat at the small table.

Fiction book (2002)
Before departing, the Georgian Provincial Congress commissioned Zubly to pen a report to "the Inhabitants of the Province of Georgia" detailing their work.

Academic text (2010)
Once a year, she pens a heartfelt poem in memory of her late mother.
The author decided to pen a compelling novel about her journey across Asia.

Synonyms

to write

vsto pen

Literature

∞ 1.6

Create a story or poem by putting words together

is used when the action is careful or formal rather than general production

to compose

vsto pen

105 3.5

To make writing, music, or a plan

is specific to careful, formal making of literary works rather than any creation

to indite

vsto pen

Archaic

1 9.9

To write a formal text like a speech or poem

emphasizes careful, precise crafting rather than high literary tone

Antonyms

to delete

370 2.0

To remove information like text or files so it cannot be seen

to erase

19 1.6

Remove marks, writing, or digital files so they are no longer visible

Idioms

to dip one's pen in someone else's inkwell

Archaic

9.9

To use someone else's ideas without giving them credit

Phrasal Verbs

to pen up

3 6.0

Keep animals or people in a small area

to pen in

1 4.2

To write down an idea, plan, or appointment

Compounds

pen pal

23 2.9

A person in another country you write letters to and become friends with

pen name

10 3.5

A name an author uses instead of their real name when publishing

fountain pen

10 3.1

A pen with a built-in ink holder that lets ink flow to the tip

ballpoint pen

8 1.0

A writing pen with a small metal ball in the tip that rolls ink onto paper

holding pen

4 3.1

A small fenced area where farmers keep animals before moving them

veto pen

3 7.5

A pen a president or governor uses to officially reject a law

pen-and-ink

2 5.5

A drawing made with pen and ink that shows lines and shading without color

quill pen

Archaic

2 8.1

A writing tool made from a bird's feather that you dip in ink to write

felt-tip pen

1 2.1

A pen with a soft felt tip for writing or drawing

felt-tipped pen

1 3.0

A tool for writing or drawing with a soft tip that makes bold lines

cattle pen

1 2.1

An enclosure for keeping cattle like cows and bulls

sheep pen

1 1.2

A fenced area where a farmer keeps sheep

light pen

Archaic

1 5.6

A handheld tool that you use on a computer screen to point or draw

pen-pusher

Offensive

1 7.9

A person who does simple office paperwork and little creative work

poison-pen letter

NSFW

1 8.5

An anonymous letter that says cruel things to hurt someone

cow pen

1 1.6

A fenced area where farmers keep cows

pen nib

1 4.1

The small pointed metal tip of a pen that puts ink on paper

sea pen

Specialized

1 9.8

A marine animal like a feather made of many tiny animals on the sea floor

poison pen letter

1 7.6

An unsigned angry letter written to hurt or insult someone

slip of the pen

Informal

1 3.8

A small mistake made when writing by accident

catch pen

Specialized

1 6.3

A small fenced area that holds animals like sheep or cattle for a short time

pen mouse

1 5.7

A small wireless tool shaped like a pen that moves the computer pointer for drawing and precise work

pen-friend

1 3.2

A person you write to and know only by letters, often never meeting

catching pen

Jargon

5.5

A small fenced area for holding animals briefly to sort or check them

fineliner pen

3.8

A pen with a very thin felt tip that draws precise lines for writing or drawing

knight of the pen

Archaic

9.9

A respected writer known for great books or articles

pen-tailed tree shrew

9.9

A small brown mammal from Malaysia with a bare tail and long stiff hairs at the tip

pen-tail

9.9

A small brown tree shrew from Malaysia with a bare tail fringed by stiff hairs at the tip

How Careful

to pen

Literature

38 6.0

to write

∞ 1.0

to jot

39 3.9

to scribble

52 3.5

to scrawl

24 5.5

Surface Forms

pen infinitive

penned past

penned past participle

penning present participle

pens third person singular

Etymology

Pen as a verb comes from the noun pen (from Latin penna 'feather'), because to 'pen' originally meant to write with a pen. So to pen something is simply to write it.