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
Alex Golden, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
The McRib sandwich, which consists of seasoned boneless pork slathered in BBQ sauce with onions and pickles, made a comeback this week for a limited time in the UK.
—Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2024
Todd Boss, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
Foodland: Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but only cucumbers, green bell peppers and pickling cucumbers.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pickle 
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Noun
Wonderfully fried chicken thighs with hot sauce, chipotle aioli, coleslaw and pickles — so satisfying.
—Alex Golden, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
The McRib sandwich, which consists of seasoned boneless pork slathered in BBQ sauce with onions and pickles, made a comeback this week for a limited time in the UK.
—Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Hunter took game one 11-3, then got pickled in game two 11-0, then flipped the script and twinkie’d JW in game three 11-1 to move into the final.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
Foodland: Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but only cucumbers, green bell peppers and pickling cucumbers.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 July 2024
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 22 Nov. 2024.
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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