as in pickles
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
with both sets of in-laws insisting that we spend Thanksgiving with them, we were on a sticky wicket indeed
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Recent Examples of sticky wickets
Of philosophy’s many sticky wickets, consciousness is perhaps the most perplexing.
—
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticky wickets
Noun
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The Butcher's Grind Cheeseburger is topped with cheddar cheese and pickles, and the Italian Sausage comes loaded with onions and vinegar peppers on a hoagie roll.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Beer drinkers have been putting pickles and pouring pickle juice into brews for a long time.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The doctor–patient relationship is also frequently beset by dilemmas and decisions beyond the pathology at hand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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Still, even after the election, Magyar has remained relentlessly on message—which is to say, vague and tight-lipped, leaving several inconvenient dilemmas unaddressed.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
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The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Alex Smalley at least gets a head start thanks to his sublime play on the back nine at Aronimink Golf Club, with six birdies over his last 10 holes for a 2-under 68 and a two-shot lead.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
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If your tree is in a lawn, poke 6-inch deep holes around the drip line and pour the fertilizer into them.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
17 May 2026
Noun
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They're also known as craydids, crawdads, and rock lobsters, and they're found in swamps, rivers, and lakes.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
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Workers of the 1920s waded into swamps, armed with axes and handsaws.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sticky wickets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticky%20wickets. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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