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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pigeonhole
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Wiseman frequently rejected critics’ attempts to characterize his style, or pigeonhole him into a cinematic tradition.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025
And to his credit, Leitch escapes that pigeonhole … only to get trapped in another.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Verb
At 46, Kate Hudson has secured a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Song Sung Blue, marking a dramatic career shift 25 years after her first nomination and years of being pigeonholed as Hollywood’s rom-com leading lady.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Wiseman frequently rejected critics’ attempts to characterize his style, or pigeonhole him into a cinematic tradition.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
Dover is a company made up of a portfolio of different end markets and should not be held to a data center pigeonhole.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025
And to his credit, Leitch escapes that pigeonhole … only to get trapped in another.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
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The lawsuit claims that Missouri lawmakers used no rational basis to categorize which counties qualified for a 5% cap, a freeze or neither.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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There is a long history of women's pain being dismissed by doctors, incorrectly categorized as period pain or rooted in psychological distress.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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How sweet the letters from Gita had been, arriving in his grad-school cubbyhole at Brooklyn Poly!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
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The captain instead had to remain up on the topside in the cubbyhole of his pilot house.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The fire is classified as accidental.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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By classifying sports betting as a public health issue and imposing rigid federal standards, the proposal also significantly limits the autonomy of the states, which have been primarily responsible for the legalization and regulation of this sector since 2018.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With the Doodler, the company sought to create something to liven up the average weekday inside the office cubicle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Mar. 2026
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Those media outlets were welcomed into the building’s workspaces, though the cubicles and offices are said to be largely empty nowadays.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unlike when the Heat were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak the last time the teams met, the Heat now again have effectively been relegated to the play-in tournament.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
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Lose enough, get relegated to a lower division, and you’ll be forced to lay off staff and take a write-down on your investment as your revenues drastically shrink.—
Andrés Martinez,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Inside, one side of the suitcase features a zipped compartment—useful for keeping toiletries and smaller items contained safely—while the other has a robust compression system with a notably sturdy strap and weighty steel buckle.—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
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This clutch is no exception, with a spacious main compartment and two interior card slots for extra organization.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The suspect has been identified as 64-year-old James Andrew Thompson, and his wife was the first to call for help, Hickory police said in an April 3 news release.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Apr. 2026
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Both, only identified as a 40-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some 30 years ago, the mathematician Peter Shor took a niche physics project — the dream of building a computer based on the counterintuitive rules of quantum mechanics — and shook the world.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Dell carved out a niche for herself with her one-of-a-kind VÈVÈ creations featuring vivid color beads, cloths and even sisal rooted in the Vodou culture.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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