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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pigeonhole
Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Jan. 2025
The same could be said about Celeste Dalla Porta’s eponymous character, who often finds herself being pigeonholed into certain archetypes due to her striking looks, which are only rivaled by the film’s sweeping shots of the Neapolitan jagged cliffsides that abut the surrounding cerulean sea.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
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
In other words, adults and kids don’t have to pigeonhole themselves—pun sort of intended.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Jan. 2025
The same could be said about Celeste Dalla Porta’s eponymous character, who often finds herself being pigeonholed into certain archetypes due to her striking looks, which are only rivaled by the film’s sweeping shots of the Neapolitan jagged cliffsides that abut the surrounding cerulean sea.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
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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The researchers categorized participants as inactive, weekend warriors, or regularly active based on data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected from 2011 to 2018.—
Laura Hensley,
Verywell Health,
14 Mar. 2025
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The six types of space weapons Saltzman said the Space Force categorizes adversarial space weapons in six categories—three that are space-based and three that are ground-based.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
13 Mar. 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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More: Trump releases classified JFK files on assassination.—
Josh Meyer,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
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He’s produced a number of hip-hop tunes, and Billboard often classifies his work as rap.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Other are leasing, but are leasing more space, building that space out with amenities to draw workers back to their cubicles and offices.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
17 Mar. 2025
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Digital communication tools aren’t going anywhere, even if two people are sitting near each other in adjoining cubicles.—
Carmine Gallo,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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She was relegated to the cheap seats because her vote was needed to keep Johnson wedded to the gavel.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
27 Mar. 2025
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For years, there’s been a stereotype that virtual assistants (VAs) are relegated to simple tasks like scheduling meetings or responding to routine emails.—
Pranav Dalal,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The change comes after a Hong Kong Airlines flight from the Chinese city of Hangzhou was forced to divert after a portable charging device reportedly triggered a fire in an overhead compartment.—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
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It’s made of black, matte plastic with a trapezoidal profile and a magnetic flap that stays securely closed over the glasses compartment or open against the back panel.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The couple wed in Boca Raton, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2006, and had two sons, Benjamin, born in 2009, and Lincoln, born in 2010, before separating in 2012.—
Emily Krauser,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
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Davis was already separated from Freddie’s mother at the time.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Many small businesses have turned niche solutions into thriving SaaS companies, proving that even a simple tool solving a real problem can become a profitable asset. 4.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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Her enduring status as a cult icon continues to expand, as Tammie is a regular fixture on niche TV shows (The Browns, Drag House Rules) and partakes in frequent collaborations with fellow alums Kelly Mantle and Trixie Mattel.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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