Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

pennant

American  
[pen-uhnt] / ˈpɛn ənt /

noun

  • pennants
    plural
  1. a long, tapering flag or burgee of distinctive form and special significance, borne on naval or other vessels and used in signaling or for identification.

  2. any relatively long, tapering flag.

  3. a flag serving as an emblem of victory or championship, especially in baseball.

  4. Music. hook.

  5. Nautical. pendant.


pennant British  
/ ˈpɛnənt /

noun

  1. a type of pennon, esp one flown from vessels as identification or for signalling

    1. a flag serving as an emblem of championship in certain sports

    2. ( as modifier )

      pennant cricket

  2. nautical another word for pendant

  3. same as flag 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of pennant

First recorded in 1605–15; blend of pennon and pendant

Explanation

A pennant is a long flag that tapers at one end. You might see a pennant flying on a navy ship, being waved in the crowd of spectators at a baseball game, or hanging on a sporty kid’s bedroom wall. Nautical pennants were the original triangular or tapered flags, and they are still flown on most active warships. Sporting pennants also have a long history, and were once commonly given as prizes or trophies and waved by fans in the stands at high school and college sporting events. Sports teams can still win a pennant, but pennants are often purchased as souvenirs at games and wind up on fans’ walls.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing pennant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The chase for baseball’s best pitcher, the hunt by baseball’s best team, the pennant race, the World Series, all of it.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 2, 2026

One way to resolve his mechanical flaw would have been for Sasaki to completely overhaul the mechanics he has been using his entire life in the middle of a pennant race.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 29, 2026

If you calculate the length of the flagpole to the bottom pennant, as some technicians do, the upside target would be about 7.4%.

From MarketWatch May 19, 2026

The Braves are off to a good start in 2026 as they lead the National League East with an 18-8 record and are a good bet to contend for the league pennant.

From Barron's Apr. 23, 2026

But none of them flew a long green pennant.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

Many chart watchers believe pennants tend to appear around the middle of a trend.

From MarketWatch May 19, 2026

Alston won four World Series titles and seven National League pennants.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 13, 2024

He spent 22 seasons in the major leagues, most with the Giants in New York and San Francisco, leading the team to three National League pennants and a World Series championship.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 18, 2024

Under Herzog, the Cards won pennants in 1982, 1985 and 1987, and the World Series in 1982.

From Seattle Times Apr. 19, 2024

We crossed a dirt courtyard, where pieces of clothing hung like pennants from a wire, and entered a dilapidated hut like all the others.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training