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
R. L. Stevenson3
: an article of food that has been preserved in brine or in vinegar
specifically
: a cucumber that has been so preserved
pickled; pickling
ˈpi-k(ə-)liŋ 
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
Synonyms
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
Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Jan. 2025
Jars of free housemade pickles have become customer favorites as well.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2025
Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
While the best kind of pickle is the one made at home with your own vegetables and pickling brine—of which there are endlessly delectable pickle recipe variations that Southern cooks have mastered—we'll never say no to a classic spear from the grocery store.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pickle 
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Noun
In the 15-second teaser, the actor can be seen wearing a classic tuxedo, offering to open a jar of pickles for the wrestler struggling to open the lid.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Jan. 2025
Jars of free housemade pickles have become customer favorites as well.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
Immediately after they’re fried, they are tossed in honey and topped with a peri peri drizzle, pickled Fresno chiles, pickled shallots and herbs.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
While the best kind of pickle is the one made at home with your own vegetables and pickling brine—of which there are endlessly delectable pickle recipe variations that Southern cooks have mastered—we'll never say no to a classic spear from the grocery store.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pickle
Articles Related to pickle
Dictionary Entries Near pickle
Cite this Entry
“Pickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickle. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pickle
2 of 2 verb
pickled; pickling
ˈpik-(ə-)liŋ
: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle
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