pickle

1 of 3

noun (1)

pick·​le ˈpi-kəl 

1

: a solution or bath for preserving or cleaning: such as

a

: a brine or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved

b

: any of various baths used in industrial cleaning or processing

2

: a difficult situation : plight

could see no way out of the pickle I was in

—R. L. Stevenson

3

: an article of food that has been preserved in brine or in vinegar

specifically : a cucumber that has been so preserved

pickle

2 of 3

verb

pickled; pickling ˈpi-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle

2

: to give a light finish to (something, such as furniture) by bleaching or painting and wiping

pickle

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

Scotland : grain, kernel

2

Scotland : a small quantity

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bind
• box
• catch-22
• corner
• dilemma
• fix
• hole
• impasse
• jackpot [chiefly West]
• jam
• mire
• predicament
• quagmire
• rabbit hole
• rattrap
• spot
• sticky wicket
• swamp

Examples of pickle in a Sentence

Noun (1)

well, this is a bit of a pickle we've gotten ourselves into

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The company mentioned Pinterest naming pickles as a top trend for 2025 as another reason for the new flavor. —Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025

So what makes this gentle would-be romance between a bookstore clerk and a pickle vendor so timeless, so endlessly appealing? —Jason Bailey, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

Verb

But so he’s been pickled in loneliness and insecurity and isolation and has become this terrible, worst version of himself. —Chris Willman, Variety, 15 Feb. 2025

Beets Beets are generally roasted, pickled, or added to salads in the Mediterranean diet. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pykyl, pekill sauce, gravy, from or akin to Middle Dutch peeckel brine

Noun (2)

perhaps from Scots pickle to trifle, pilfer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pickle

• dill pickle

Rhymes for pickle

• fickle
• mickle
• nickel
• nickle
• nicol
• prickle
• sickle
• tickle
• trickle
• ventricle

Kids Definition

pickle

1 of 2 noun

pick·​le ˈpik-əl 

1

: a liquid used for preserving or cleaning

especially : a saltwater or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved : brine

2

: an unpleasant or difficult situation : plight

3

: an article of food (as a cucumber) preserved in a saltwater or vinegar solution

pickle

2 of 2 verb

pickled; pickling ˈpik-(ə-)liŋ 

: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle