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
Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
When garage rock gave way to the age of disco, Larry pivoted, refusing to be pigeonholed.
—Amber Tamblyn, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
Will Leitch, Vulture, 24 June 2024
And even those films starring endlessly reincarnating supernatural psycho slashers chasing nubile coeds aren’t so simple to pigeonhole politically.
—David Colman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Verb
But Bibb, who is fifty, doesn’t like to be pigeonholed.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
When garage rock gave way to the age of disco, Larry pivoted, refusing to be pigeonholed.
—Amber Tamblyn, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
And to his credit, Leitch escapes that pigeonhole … only to get trapped in another.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 24 June 2024
And even those films starring endlessly reincarnating supernatural psycho slashers chasing nubile coeds aren’t so simple to pigeonhole politically.
—David Colman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
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Ensure that your product data is complete, categorized properly and optimized for search engines.—
Waleed Najam,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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While there are endless examples of stimming behavior, they can be categorized into one of five sensory experiences.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Having moved nearly four years ago from a 15,000-square-foot warehouse in Williamsburg to a street-level cubbyhole on the side of 30 Rock, Rough Trade finally has some room to spread out in the Art Deco complex.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
11 Apr. 2025
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Image Image The center is visible from the street through a glass entrance opening to a wide corridor and wall of custom shelving with cubbyholes, pegboards and stools designed by the architect Koray Duman.—
Hilarie M. Sheets,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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How Businesses Can Remain Compliant Governance platforms and compliance partners focus on helping any business, from enterprises to startups, to monitor, identify, classify and ensure that AI is built in accordance to the new EU AI Act.—
Jessica Mendoza,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Of the 23 players in the squad that have made 11 or more league appearances this season, nine (almost 40 per cent) can be classified as long-distance internationals.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s no commute, you’re not holed up in a cubicle, and there’s not a micromanaging boss hovering over your shoulder.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Later that morning, the 19-year-old freshman walked by another office with its lights off and door closed, then past the bare cubicles – all signs that some staffers at her tribal community college in Albuquerque were no longer there.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA TODAY,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Each, in its own way, invited a friendly skepticism of orthodoxy and imbued value in people and ideas previously relegated to the edge.—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
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What’s worse is that the mouth is sometimes treated as a separate entity from the rest of the body, relegated to the care of dentists, and often excluded from broader discussions about systemic health.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Waterproof storage bags tend to be thicker and come with waterproof compartments.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
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Inner compression netting and compartments keep everything in place and well-organized, making for a well-rounded bag that will serve you – or mom – very well.—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Those who have been separated from their belongings during the shooting will have the opportunity to retrieve them at a later date.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2025
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After Wednesday’s win in Chicago, only one road win over the Hawks separates the Heat from making the playoffs for the sixth straight season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And in this economy, the cost of fragrances, especially those that are niche and designer, are unattainable and unaffordable for many.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
25 Apr. 2025
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The power of going niche Unlike horizontal giants that aim to be all things to all people, vertical marketplaces specialize.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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