What does "pew" mean?
One of the long benches in a church, seating several persons, usually fixed to the floor and facing the chancel.
Pew
intj, name, noun, verb, slang
intj, name, noun, verb, slang ·1 syllable ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of the long benches in a church, seating several persons, usually fixed to the floor and facing the chancel.
- Grammar: pew is listed as intj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: church bench, amen corner, anxious bench, anxious seat.
- Useful contrasts: cathedra, delight, quiet.
- Usage evidence: Along the whole length of the pew hymnals are placed at regular intervals.
How to use "pew"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pew" 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 "pew" 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 "pew" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pew" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- 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 "pew" is acting as intj, name, noun, verb, slang 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 "church bench" 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.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pew", 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 One of the long benches in a church, seating several persons, usually fixed to the floor and facing the chancel.
"In many churches some pews are reserved for either clerical or liturgical officials such as canons, or for prominent families."
- 2 Initialism of pink-eyed white (mouse or rat). abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 3 long bench with backs; used in church by the congregation wordnet
- 4 The congregation of a church. broadly, in-plural
"I think a lot of Americans are actually searching for a church that’s relatively apolitical in the pulpit and the pews."
- 5 An enclosed compartment in a church which provides seating for a group of people, often a prominent family.
"At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, firefighters in dress blues and white gloves escorted families to the pews for a memorial service, led by Mr. Bloomberg, to honor the 343 Fire Department employees killed on 9/11."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Any structure shaped like a church pew, such as a stall, formerly used by money lenders, etc.; a box in a theatre; or a pen or sheepfold.
"[H]e, a lollard indeed over his elbovv-cuſhion, in almoſt the ſeaventh part of 40. or 50. years teaches them ſcarce half the principles of religion; and his ſheep oft-times ſit the vvhile to as little purpoſe of benifiting as the ſheep in thir pues at Smithfield; […]"
- 7 A chair; a seat. colloquial, humorous
"Pull up a pew."
Verb
- 1 To furnish with pews.
"building a gallery and altering the pewing in the church at Catherington"
Intj
- 1 An expression of disgust in response to an unpleasant odor.
- 2 Representative of the sound made by the firing of a gun, particularly a blaster in science fiction. childish
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Welsh.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Along the whole length of the pew hymnals are placed at regular intervals."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pew"?
Common synonyms include: church bench, amen corner, anxious bench, anxious seat, bench, booth.
How do you use "pew" in a sentence?
Along the whole length of the pew hymnals are placed at regular intervals.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English pewe, from Old French puiee, puïe (“balustrade, balcony”), from Latin podia, plural of podium (“parapet, podium”), from Ancient Greek πόδιον (pódion, “little foot”), from πούς (poús, “foot”). Doublet of podia.
Etymology 2
See phew.
Etymology 3
Onomatopoeic.
Etymology 4
Less common spelling of Pugh, from Welsh ap + Huw.