often attributive
1
a
: a monetary unit of the United Kingdom formerly equal to ¹/₂₄₀ pound but now equal to ¹/₁₀₀ pound
b
: a similar monetary unit of any of various other countries in or formerly in the Commonwealth of Nations see pound at Money Table
c
: a coin representing one penny
2
: denarius
3
4
: a former monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ Irish pound
5
: a trivial amount
6
: a piece or sum of money
that will cost a pretty penny
: being a (designated) nail size
an eightpenny nail
Examples of penny in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Walter’s first full season in charge was the end of the penny pinching that existed under prior owner Frank McCourt.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
For a contest in 1994 during the homecoming pep rally, students were accumulating pennies in milk jugs.
—Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Without enough pennies, stores cannot make correct change for cash transactions.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penny
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Noun
Past costumes that made headlines included Sherri Shepherd as a penny, Meghan McCain as Elsa from Frozen, and Walters herself as Marilyn Monroe.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Walter’s first full season in charge was the end of the penny pinching that existed under prior owner Frank McCourt.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
For a contest in 1994 during the homecoming pep rally, students were accumulating pennies in milk jugs.
—Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Without enough pennies, stores cannot make correct change for cash transactions.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penny
Cite this Entry
“Penny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penny. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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