pickle

1 of 3

noun (1)

pick·​le ˈpi-kəl 

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

I could see no way out of the pickle I was in …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

3

: an article of food that has been preserved in brine or in vinegar

specifically : a cucumber that has been so preserved

pickle

2 of 3

verb

pickled; pickling ˈpi-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

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

pickle

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

Scotland : grain, kernel

2

Scotland : a small quantity

Synonyms of pickle

Noun (1)

• predicament
• dilemma
• hole
• bind
• swamp
• jam

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

Noun

So, given the resemblance, why weren’t the Jam in a pickle? —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026

Dill for digestion, fish dishes of all manners, and knock-your-socks-off garlicy pickles. —Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

The airy melted Hokkaido potato dish with chawanmushi, lightly pickled spring onion, and Cristal caviar was seductive and unexpected. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026

For peers with a pickling penchant, James says this Smitten Kitchen recipe is useful for treating water-heavy legumes, like cucumbers. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pykyl, pekill sauce, gravy, from or akin to Middle Dutch peeckel brine

Noun (2)

perhaps from Scots pickle to trifle, pilfer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pickle

• dill pickle

Rhymes for pickle

• fickle
• mickle
• nickel
• nickle
• nicol
• prickle
• sickle
• tickle
• trickle
• ventricle

Kids Definition

pickle

1 of 2 noun

pick·​le ˈpik-əl 

1

: a liquid used for preserving or cleaning

especially : a saltwater or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved : brine

2

: an unpleasant or difficult situation : plight

3

: an article of food (as a cucumber) preserved in a saltwater or vinegar solution

pickle

2 of 2 verb

pickled; pickling ˈpik-(ə-)liŋ 

: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle