What does "pennant" mean?
A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition.; The broad pennant flown by commodores.
Pennant
/ˈpɛnənt/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition.; The broad pennant flown by commodores.
- Grammar: pennant is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: pennon, and blue, banderole, banner.
- Useful contrasts: no flag, no pennant.
- Usage evidence: The Yankees are running away with the pennant race.
How to use "pennant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pennant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pennant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pennant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pennant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pennant" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pennon" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pennant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition.; The broad pennant flown by commodores.
- 2 a long flag; often tapering wordnet
- 3 A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition.; The church pennant indicating religious services are taking place aboard ship.
- 4 the award given to the champion wordnet
- 5 A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition.; The commissioning pennant flown on ceremonial occasions.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a flag longer than it is wide (and often tapering) wordnet
- 7 A small flag with pointed end, formerly carried by cavalry or other mounted troops to serve as a rallying point or ceremonial unit identification.
- 8 The winning of a competition, represented by a flag.
"The New York Yankees have won the American League pennant far more often than any other team."
- 9 A commemorative flag, traditionally triangular and made of felt, typically used to show support for a particular athletic team.
- 10 A rope or strap to which a purchase is hooked.
- 11 A sandstone between coal measures in parts of South Wales
- 12 Either of two species of libellulid dragonfly of the genus Macrodiplax, of the tropics and subtropics.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 A number of places in Wales:; A village in Dyffryn Arth community, Ceredigion (OS grid ref SN5163).
- 3 A number of places in Wales:; A hamlet in Conwy borough county borough (OS grid ref SH8759).
- 4 A number of places in Wales:; A hamlet in Denbighshire (OS grid ref SJ0234).
- 5 A number of places in Wales:; A small settlement in Gwynedd (OS grid ref SH9020).
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in Wales:; A small village in Powys (OS grid ref SN8897).
- 7 A village in the Rural Municipality of Riverside No. 168, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Antonyms
no flagno pennant
Example
"The Yankees are running away with the pennant race."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pennant"?
Common synonyms include: pennon, and blue, banderole, banner, banner, banneret.
How do you use "pennant" in a sentence?
The Yankees are running away with the pennant race.
How do you pronounce "pennant"?
Pronounced /ˈpɛnənt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English penon, penoun, pynoun, Old French penon, French pennon, from Latin penna (“feather”). See pen (“a feather”), and compare pennon, pinion.
Etymology 2
Welsh place names are conceivably from Welsh pen + nant.