picket line

noun

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of picket line

1 : a position held by a line of military pickets

2 : a line of people picketing a business, organization, or institution

See picket line defined for English-language learners

See picket line defined for kids

Examples of picket line in a Sentence

She joined her coworkers on the picket line.

Recent Examples of picket line from the Web

There are daily picket lines in front of a site at Hudson Yards on the Far West Side of Manhattan, where construction of a $4 billion office tower is just getting underway.

— charles v. bagli, New York Times, "With Pickets and Lawsuits, Unions and Developers Go to War," 13 Apr. 2018
After all, public workers can only gain leverage through a strike if a significant portion of the public rallies behind their picket line.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The Teachers’ Strikes Have Exposed the GOP’s Achilles Heel," 5 Apr. 2018
An ordained Baptist minister, Sharpton now spends less time in the pulpit than on the picket lines, founding the National Action Network in 1991.

— peter rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Is San Diego's Rev. Shane Harris ready for his national close-up?," 1 Apr. 2018
And beyond the legislative uncertainty, the bottom line is that teachers across the Mountain State’s 55 counties say the raise does little to assuage the bigger concerns that propelled them to the picket lines in the first place.

— alia wong, The Atlantic, "West Virginia's Teachers Are Not Satisfied," 28 Feb. 2018
Twenty workers crossed the picket line and went back to work.

— damian paletta, courant.com, "In land of Peeps, ﬁght threatens US pension plans," 30 Mar. 2018
Twenty workers crossed the picket line and went back to work.

— damian paletta, chicagotribune.com, "In land of Peeps, ﬁght threatens U.S. pension plans," 30 Mar. 2018
Collins, the fifth-grade teacher, and Atkins were back on the picket line Tuesday morning, demonstrating in the cold as state lawmakers in Charleston reached the deal that would end the stoppage.

— sarah larimer, Washington Post, "‘We will move forward’: With deal on pay in place, West Virginia’s teachers eye return to the classroom," 6 Mar. 2018
For seven straight school days, a massive teachers strike has gripped every county in West Virginia, with teachers setting up picket lines on public roads and thronging the capitol to holler at state lawmakers.

— matt pearce, latimes.com, "Soaring healthcare costs drove West Virginia teachers to go on their (possibly illegal) statewide strike," 3 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'picket line.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of picket line

1847

PICKET LINE Defined for English Language Learners

picket line

noun

Definition of picket line for English Language Learners

: a line or group of people who are refusing to go to work until their employer agrees to certain demands

Law Dictionary

picket line

noun

legal Definition of picket line

: a line of people picketing a business, institution, or organization

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picket line

Definition of picket line

Examples of picket line in a Sentence

Recent Examples of picket line from the Web

First Known Use of picket line

PICKET LINE Defined for English Language Learners

picket line

Definition of picket line for English Language Learners

Law Dictionary

picket line

legal Definition of picket line

Learn More about picket line

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picket line

Definition of picket line

Examples of picket line in a Sentence

Recent Examples of picket line from the Web

First Known Use of picket line

PICKET LINE Defined for English Language Learners

picket line

Definition of picket line for English Language Learners

Law Dictionary

picket line

legal Definition of picket line

Learn More about picket line

Seen and Heard

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