Pawn

A Pawn is a person or thing used by others for their own purposes, often without regard for their well-being or intentions. It can also refer to a pledged item used as security for a loan. Figuratively, it signifies someone manipulated or exploited. In chess, it's the least valuable piece, moving only forward (except to capture diagonally) and representing a basic component in a strategy. Understanding a pawn's role reveals vulnerability and the potential for sacrifice in a larger context. It's often used to describe individuals manipulated for political gain or used in economic exploitation.

Pawn meaning with examples

• The whistleblower felt like a Pawn in a political game, used and discarded once their information served its purpose. Their leaked data was crucial for the cause, yet they faced repercussions with no protection. This manipulation was wrong and the whistleblower was exploited. The truth was unveiled and justice followed.
• Desperate for quick cash, she had to Pawn her grandmother's antique necklace at a questionable jewelry store. She received a meager sum, knowing she might never see the necklace again, as a temporary loan. This situation, however, was a short-term solution. The Pawn shop became a lifeline.
• In the novel, the protagonist was a Pawn of the powerful corporation, unknowingly carrying out their sinister agenda. They were manipulated by carefully crafted misinformation, unaware of the consequences. The protagonist's actions were detrimental to the entire town. Everything was revealed later.
• The general sacrificed several pawns in a daring chess strategy to gain a positional advantage and attack the king. The losses, though difficult, paved the way for a checkmate. The chess pieces represented units in a larger, dangerous operation. The general was a tactician.