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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Wiseman frequently rejected critics’ attempts to characterize his style, or pigeonhole him into a cinematic tradition.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025
And to his credit, Leitch escapes that pigeonhole … only to get trapped in another.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Verb
At 46, Kate Hudson has secured a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Song Sung Blue, marking a dramatic career shift 25 years after her first nomination and years of being pigeonholed as Hollywood’s rom-com leading lady.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Wiseman frequently rejected critics’ attempts to characterize his style, or pigeonhole him into a cinematic tradition.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
Dover is a company made up of a portfolio of different end markets and should not be held to a data center pigeonhole.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025
And to his credit, Leitch escapes that pigeonhole … only to get trapped in another.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
-
First, identify any and all unused assets, then categorize those assets as items to rent, sell or eliminate.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Previously, Aurora categorized data centers as warehouses so had few restrictions around them, but an influx of data center proposals along with residents’ concerns about existing facilities prompted the city to stop accepting new applications until new rules could be developed.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
How sweet the letters from Gita had been, arriving in his grad-school cubbyhole at Brooklyn Poly!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The captain instead had to remain up on the topside in the cubbyhole of his pilot house.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Currently Not Collectible status The IRS may classify an account as Currently Not Collectible (CNC) if a taxpayer is facing severe financial hardship.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
SmartAsset used the Pew Research definition of middle class for its report, which classifies middle class as an income between two-thirds and double a region’s median income.—
Caden Perry,
jsonline.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With the Doodler, the company sought to create something to liven up the average weekday inside the office cubicle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those media outlets were welcomed into the building’s workspaces, though the cubicles and offices are said to be largely empty nowadays.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Unlike when the Heat were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak the last time the teams met, the Heat now again have effectively been relegated to the play-in tournament.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Lose enough, get relegated to a lower division, and you’ll be forced to lay off staff and take a write-down on your investment as your revenues drastically shrink.—
Andrés Martinez,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Troopers have determined the bus was carrying about 60 seventh and eighth grade students and adult staff members when the engine compartment began to smoke just south of Exit 32.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In her experiment, McPherson and colleagues created a set-up holding human, mice and pig sperm cells in one part of the compartment and egg cells in the other, divided by a thin channel simulating the female reproductive tract.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Yet immigration agents now routinely wear masks, drive unmarked cars, and refuse to identify themselves.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Investigators say there have been no arrests, and no suspect has been publicly identified, but detectives are actively pursuing leads.—
Jamie Leary,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Though big-box plant stores and global retailers have threatened to price out small nurseries in the area, Johnson said Talini’s serves a niche purpose for gardeners that has helped protect it.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The big winners over the past few weeks have been the energy stocks, and some niche plays like the fertilizer makers.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
