blue-pen·cil
ˈblü-ˈpen(t)-səl 
blue-penciled; blue-penciling; blue-pencils
: to edit especially by shortening or deletion
blue penciller
noun
: a writing instrument used for editing
also
: the act or practice of blue-penciling
Synonyms
Examples of blue-pencil in a Sentence
Verb
military censors blue-penciled any remarks that could possibly be deemed critical
Recent Examples on the Web
David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 13 June 2024
Stalin’s blue pencil, unlike that of other editors, glided across not just poetry chapbooks and literary journals but life itself.
—Aaron Lake Smith, Harper's magazine, 24 June 2019
But a blue pencil is as strong as a sword, and more cut and thrust would have made this book sharper.
—Laura Jacobs, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2018
Noun
All of these details, which are not about the largesse of Broadway, take the music to its roots, when Sondheim’s massive collection of blue pencils were crafting some of the most consequential compositions in musical theater history.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 13 June 2024
Stalin’s blue pencil, unlike that of other editors, glided across not just poetry chapbooks and literary journals but life itself.
—Aaron Lake Smith, Harper's magazine, 24 June 2019
But a blue pencil is as strong as a sword, and more cut and thrust would have made this book sharper.
—Laura Jacobs, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blue-pencil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near blue-pencil
Cite this Entry
“Blue-pencil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue-pencil. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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