picket fence
noun
plural picket fences
: a fence made of pickets
a white picket fence
Old roses scrambling up a porch or spilling over a picket fence may be reminiscent of a bygone era.—
Michael MacCaskey
Michael MacCaskeyTall pine trees lined both sides of the road, backdropped by an occasional stone wall or picket fence …—Peter Gordon
—often used to evoke an idealized or stereotypical image or conception of happy suburban homes in the U.S.Peter GordonFirst we are lulled with a vision of homespun Americana: flowers, a picket fence, a fireman waving from his fire truck, a man watering his front lawn.—David Ansen
David Ansen"Everyone saw me on TV or read articles, and it was all about my great marriage, the white picket fence, all this success and my perfect life. But behind the scenes, it was a struggle," says [Lindsay] Vonn …—Elizabeth Leonard
Elizabeth Leonard… grandparents who were hoping their grandchildren would be raised behind a white picket fence and full-measure suburbanites …—Janet Elder
Janet ElderWe have worked our way up the real estate food chain to the point where we have a modest version of the complete suburban package: the picket fence, the stone walls, the in-ground pool …—Charles McGrath
Charles McGrathExamples of picket fence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Polarization, student absenteeism, picket fences and ‘Shear Madness,' in readers’ eyes.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 12 June 2026
The white picket fence becomes a gate to keep others out.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
In fact, along with the desire for a backyard and a white picket fence, another motivation for some homeowners was white flight from cities—a trend that actually began in the earliest decades of the 20th century, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026
White picket fences lead down to the pool house, where an outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge await.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for picket fence
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Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 12 June 2026
The white picket fence becomes a gate to keep others out.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
In fact, along with the desire for a backyard and a white picket fence, another motivation for some homeowners was white flight from cities—a trend that actually began in the earliest decades of the 20th century, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026
White picket fences lead down to the pool house, where an outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge await.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for picket fence
Cite this Entry
“Picket fence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picket%20fence. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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