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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pigeonhole
Francois Botha, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
He was used as a No 10, a left-sided No 8, a centre-forward and off the left wing that season because Arsenal did not want to pigeonhole him.
—Art De Roché, The Athletic, 31 July 2024
Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Both Los Angeles and Mexico City have dining ecosystems too vast to pigeonhole; flashy glamour will always be part of them.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for pigeonhole 
Verb
Miscommunication or rigid roles often lead to isolation, where people are pigeonholed based on age or assumptions rather than their actual interests or expertise.
—Francois Botha, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
He was used as a No 10, a left-sided No 8, a centre-forward and off the left wing that season because Arsenal did not want to pigeonhole him.
—Art De Roché, The Athletic, 31 July 2024
Noun
Much like Chambers is indelibly linked to funk and fusion, White tends to be pigeonhole as a fusion patriarch.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Both Los Angeles and Mexico City have dining ecosystems too vast to pigeonhole; flashy glamour will always be part of them.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
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Many storage onions are categorized as long-day onions.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Feb. 2025
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Similarly, drones and other unmanned aircraft, categorized by weight, have also received tariffs.—
Daniel Cody,
Newsweek,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Isle of Gelato: A cubbyhole of a place on Pedlar Street sells artisanal ice creams, including vegan recipes, that have amassed quite a following.—
Prasad Ramamurthy,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Sep. 2024
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Once removed from their cubbyhole, the bits can be inserted in one of two hexagonal driver holes.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
17 July 2024
Verb
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An atomic wedgie is classified as one in which a person's underwear is pulled above the victim's head or higher.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
31 Jan. 2025
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The movement was classified by periodic pulses, or bursts of mobility that lasted for one to two hours.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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At a time when others clung to the stability of their cubicles, Marshall felt more inspired to give hers up.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2025
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Johnson arrived as a graduate assistant in 2009 and even worked in the same tiny cubicle Poles had occupied.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When first created they were relegated to industrial use—cutting, drilling, and polishing rather than adorning fingers and décolletages.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2025
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Sims had been largely relegated to a bench role after failing to make an impact in extended minutes on the floor this season.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Flying Whales The huge cargo hold will be built as a structural compartment in the belly of the ship, with a dual sliding door system for loading and unloading cargo via hydraulic cables without the vessel having to land.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Feb. 2025
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Its compartments and zipped internal pockets will satisfy those with a penchant for organization.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The capsule and rocket booster separated nearly three minutes into the flight, and by the fourth minute the capsule had successfully created lunar gravity conditions, according to Blue Origin's livestream coverage.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
4 Feb. 2025
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The process starts at room temperature, with super-concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCL) to separate the poly from the cotton, enabling fiber-to-fiber recycling of both components.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Once considered a niche, nerdy hobby, Dungeons and Dragons has rocketed to mainstream popularity, with Dimension 20 as one of its fastest-rising groups.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
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What was once a niche campaign against diversity-equity-and-inclusion programs has metastasized into a general anti-idealism.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
The New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to pigeonhole
Thesaurus Entries Near pigeonhole
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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