pigeonhole 1 of 2

verb

Definition of pigeonholenext
as in to categorize
disapproving to unfairly think of or describe (someone or something) as belonging to only a certain category She likes to perform different types of music because she doesn't want to be pigeonholed.

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pigeonhole

2 of 2

noun

as in cubbyhole

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pigeonhole
Verb
But while the subjects of pleasure and open-mindedness captivate her, on screen Anderson is not letting the industry pigeonhole her. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 It's not just pigeonholed into one spot. — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Noun
In the interim, Tudor has tried to shrug off the stereotypes and step out of the pigeonholes. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026 Chen had hit upon a tantalizing hint that the link between the equality problem and the pigeonhole principle might also go the other way. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
  1. categorize
  2. cubbyhole
  3. classify
  4. cubicle
  5. relegate
  6. compartment
  7. identify
  8. niche
Verb
  • With this much space, the entire region can’t be categorized in any one specific way—except with the word dramatic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Images get treated and categorized one way; PDFs another; text notes another.
    — David Pierce, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of categorize
Noun
  • One day, during my visit, Cole used a step stool to access a small cubbyhole in a high corner of a bedroom wall—a sort of illogical nook that seemed preordained to house some private, upsetting object.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • During the decades with Cox at the helm of the Braves, the smell of cigar smoke became familiar, wafting from the home dugout on early afternoons at old Fulton County Stadium or from a cubbyhole next to the home dugout at Turner Field.
    — David O'Brien, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Definition of cubbyhole
Verb
  • In an April 2026 live-fire exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, the Army demonstrated an autonomous sensor on one platform that detected and classified a hostile drone, then passed data and an engagement command to a weapon system on another platform.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Trump also classified Brazil’s biggest drug-trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations shortly after receiving Bolsonaro at the White House — a move Lula’s administration opposed as a pretext for intervention.
    — Eléonore Hughes, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of classify
Noun
  • Warm walnut, rich performance upholstery, and brushed metal details give the pieces a distinctly executive feel without making your home office feel like a corporate cubicle.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The employee in the cubicle next to yours is probably a woman.
    — Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of cubicle
Verb
  • Garver struggled offensively in Seattle compared with his time in Texas and was relegated to a backup role behind catcher Cal Raleigh.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, he’s often relegated to the role of good-faith interlocutor, trying his best to get to the truth of who Holmes and Evans are, the nature of their relationship, and their motivations for participating in this project.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of relegate
Noun
  • Drain under three-compartment sink nearest walk-in freezer lacking protective cover.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Unclean dishes found in sanitizer basin at 3-compartment sink in main dish area.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of compartment
Verb
  • Under Sorrells, morale at the office is bleak and has resulted in an exodus, according to two veteran prosecutors who left the office and spoke on the condition they not be identified.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • About 42% of residents surveyed identified mental health as a top health challenge, and Gaston’s suicide rate also exceeds the state average.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of identify
Noun
  • People have used Muse to hunt for niche photography gear, shop for new car tires and guide them through Burgundy’s vineyards.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Obialo has lived a peripatetic life, from growing up in Nigeria, being unhoused at one point, to moving to the suburbs and becoming hyperliterate in niche genres via internet forums.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of niche

Browse Nearby Words

pigeon
pigeonhole
pigeonholed
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Cite this Entry

“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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