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pony express
noun
often capitalized P&E
: a rapid postal and express system that operated across the western U.S. in 1860–61 by relays of horses and riders
Examples of pony express in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
William Showell, a pony express rider, is on the list, and so is Olive Osmond, mother of the famed performing group, who started the boys singing to raise money for hearing aids for her oldest two children.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Feb. 2022
During its long history, the Postal Service has delivered the mail by pony express, mule train, float planes, ferry boats, motorcycles, skis, hovercrafts, and pneumatic tubes.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 2 May 2020
Prodded by anxious refugees, as well as by local residents who had relatives and friends in other parts of the world, CBers tried to set up a relay system on the lines of an electronic pony express.
—Nan Randall, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pony express.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pony express
Cite this Entry
“Pony express.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pony%20express. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
pony express
nounoften capitalized P&E
: a rapid postal system across the western U.S. in 1860–61 that operated by changing horses and riders along the way
More from Merriam-Webster on pony express
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pony express
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