penny arcade

noun

: an amusement center having coin-operated devices for entertainment

Examples of penny arcade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Soon the brothers were running two theaters, the Cascade and the Bijou, which sat on opposite sides of a penny arcade, just a short trolley ride from the Warner home. Chris Yogerst, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2023 Bay Area residents woke up on May 23, 2020, to see a Pier 45 warehouse fire on social media feeds, that came 30 feet from incinerating a collection that includes Playland-at-the-Beach legend Laffing Sal and mechanical penny arcade games from the early 20th Century. Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 May 2021 The Pads couldn’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position at a penny arcade. Nick Canepacolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2022 Balboa always seemed a fairyland — and the penny arcade was the icing on the cake. Justin Ray Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2022 Pick up colorful wine-stoppers and llama-shaped tea infusers at The Ten Spot, where everything costs $10 or less, or play skeeball at Arcade Amusements, a penny arcade with an old school prize counter. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 June 2021 Patti LuPone’s basement looks like a cross between a penny arcade, a TGI Fridays, and an after-hours piano bar. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2020 At its best, Legend City was a family-friendly oasis filled with fun western rides, talented performers and nostalgic penny arcades. Taylor Seely, azcentral, 29 July 2019 Argonaut Hotel Location, location, location: Families love the Argonaut for its proximity to attractions like the Maritime National Historic Park, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, and the Musée Méchanique, a penny arcade. Elise Craig, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penny arcade.' 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

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of penny arcade was in 1903

Dictionary Entries Near penny arcade

Cite this Entry

“Penny arcade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penny%20arcade. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

penny arcade

noun
: an amusement center where each device for entertainment may be operated for a small sum
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