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
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Many storage onions are categorized as long-day onions.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Feb. 2025
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Similarly, drones and other unmanned aircraft, categorized by weight, have also received tariffs.—
Daniel Cody,
Newsweek,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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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The international community views Syrian civil society organizations more favorably than the caretaker government, whose leaders were classified as terrorists in many countries until recently.—
Jesse Marks,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Feb. 2025
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Nearly three-quarters of all Northeast snowstorms classified as Category 3 or higher on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale, or NESIS, from 1956 to 2022 took place in late January or early February, according to statistics from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Stand up and stretch, walk around your cubicle, do bodyweight squats or push-ups against your desk, or go for a lunchtime stroll, Chris Kolba, PT, PhD, a physical therapist and sports medicine expert at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Verywell.—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
10 Feb. 2025
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Interior rooms, office cubicles, and spaces with north-facing windows call for plants that can tolerate very limited light.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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When first created they were relegated to industrial use—cutting, drilling, and polishing rather than adorning fingers and décolletages.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2025
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Sims had been largely relegated to a bench role after failing to make an impact in extended minutes on the floor this season.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Flying Whales The huge cargo hold will be built as a structural compartment in the belly of the ship, with a dual sliding door system for loading and unloading cargo via hydraulic cables without the vessel having to land.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Feb. 2025
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Multiple compartments offer ample room for your wallet’s regular contents, while a snap pouch secures your phone during travel days or sightseeing excursions.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The three dozen options available at every game now are separated into tiers.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2025
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Opponents have accused the board of seeking to separate the relatively more affluent, white majority east side from the less affluent, more racially diverse west side.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But Verily has struggled to find and stick to a winning niche in health care.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
7 Feb. 2025
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Between them stands a mighty rock, a subtle niche yet deeper still, a place to give one's heart to God, behold my armor gleaming still.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 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 21 Feb. 2025.
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