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
-
Trump already signed an executive order proclaiming that all people must be categorized as either men or women, a move that could pave the way to widespread discriminatory practices against transgender and non-binary people.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2025
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The galleries are categorized according to three themes — religion, kingship, and society — and divided into historical eras: Predynastic, the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the Late Kingdom, Ptolemaic (Greek) Egypt, and the Roman period.—
Kate McMahon,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Will seaweed become a dominant new ingredient, or be permanently relegated to side dish status?—
Heide Brandes,
thehustle.co,
24 Jan. 2025
-
In a country where golf is relegated to an afterthought, Vegas worked on his game at a nine-hole course built for oil company workers.—
Bryce Miller,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Inside each compartment are multiple smaller pockets that ensure all of your items remain organized and easy to find.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Jan. 2025
-
The battery is built in and not meant to be swapped out casually, but the product manual includes instructions for opening the compartment (with a screwdriver) to remove the battery for recycling.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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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At the time, Palmer and Gaiman were separated and living in different homes on Waiheke Island, near Auckland.—
Andrew Limbong,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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 9 Feb. 2025.
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