pickled

adjective

pick·​led ˈpi-kəld 

1

: preserved in or cured with pickle

pickled herring

2

informal : drunk sense 1a

… once got pickled on two glasses of punch at an office party …

—Rex Stout

Synonyms of pickled

• fried
• drunk
• drunken
• wet
• impaired
• wasted

Examples of pickled in a Sentence

He got pickled at the office party.

I must have been rather pickled when I agreed to your stupid scheme.

Recent Examples on the Web

Recipes for pickled cucumbers, peaches, and even watermelon rinds filled the pages of early American cookbooks. —Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026

Judy Joo's Korean street food from Seoul Bird is joining the lineup with NY Bulgogi Cheesesteak Spring Rolls, marinated beef, kimchi, sharp cheddar, and pickled jalapeños, served with a creamy spicy gochujang-sriracha mayo. —Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026

To make the most of their short season, preserve them into pickled ramps, make ramp kimchi, or blend them into ramp butter or ramp pesto and freeze for later. —Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026

Pick a peck of pickled peppers whether 18. —Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pickled

• prickled
• tickled
• trickled

Kids Definition

pickled

adjective

pick·​led

: preserved with pickle