as in dilemma
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
shoreline residents are finding themselves helplessly falling down a rabbit hole in their Sisyphean efforts to halt beach erosion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rabbit hole
Season Two somehow goes down even deeper and more self-referential rabbit holes than last season’s episode about the Fielder Method.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025
Plus, talking whiskey with a knowledgeable person is a great way to learn more without getting lost in the endless internet rabbit hole of reviews and rankings.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
That decision was kept secret from the entire cast, who also went down rabbit holes similar to paths pursued by fans about which character would meet such a savage ending.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
Congratulations–you’ve gone down a Wiki rabbit hole (a real thing, with its own Wikipedia page).
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rabbit hole
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025
Plus, talking whiskey with a knowledgeable person is a great way to learn more without getting lost in the endless internet rabbit hole of reviews and rankings.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
That decision was kept secret from the entire cast, who also went down rabbit holes similar to paths pursued by fans about which character would meet such a savage ending.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
Congratulations–you’ve gone down a Wiki rabbit hole (a real thing, with its own Wikipedia page).
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rabbit hole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabbit hole
Noun
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The National Women’s Soccer League, which raised its media rights fees nearly 60 times over with a series of deals that kicked off in 2024, finds itself in a similar dilemma.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., avoided addressing the dilemma with reporters on Wednesday.—
Claudia Grisales,
NPR,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Sheriff Martinez could easily resolve this predicament of her own making.—
Pedro Rios,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 May 2025
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The cops are making progress, the bikers are sharpening their shivs, the main duo’s relationship is being tested and Ray is dealing with his own family issues, while Manny is facing his own piercing predicament.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
Noun
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With them, came pickles, tomato sauce and jammy eggs.—
Laurie Ochoa,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
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The vibe is retro, the pickles are sharp, and there’s always something new on the specials board.—
Keyla Vasconcellos,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
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For decades, conservationists successfully plugged that hole by arguing in court that the ESA’s prohibition of harm to individual species includes destroying a species’ habitat.—
Emma Marris,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2025
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Other cavity nesters such as woodpeckers will make holes in trees, and those can also be adopted by tree swallows, flickers, kestrels and chickadees.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
Noun
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The threat of Russia to the east and the turning tide of relations with Trump’s America to the west has put the EU in a bind and in need of strong leadership.—
Mark I. Vail,
The Conversation,
16 May 2025
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The shaky quarterback recruiting in the classes after McCarthy explains how Michigan ended up in a bind last season.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Her civilian followers escaped into the swamps and lost their way.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
17 May 2025
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Finally, Trump should drain the swamp of troublemakers in our own political system by issuing an executive order that requires a national security review of lobbying activity on behalf of each country.—
Christopher Shays,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
Noun
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This street corner was forever altered on May 25, 2020, when Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, suffocating and killing him.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
23 May 2025
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Even at a modest warm-up pace, Feeling the chassis turn-in to corners, modulating the brakes, and letting the mighty S52 pull me out of corner-exit with assured low-end torque was quite smile-inducing.—
Peter Nelson,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rabbit hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabbit%20hole. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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