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
New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2025
That’s hardly the only time Davis has been pigeonholed in her career.
—Galina Espinoza, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2025
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
The broader appeal and usefulness of the Dashaway eCT are just too dramatic to dedicate more time pigeonholing himself into a restrictive niche.
—New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2025
That’s hardly the only time Davis has been pigeonholed in her career.
—Galina Espinoza, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2025
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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Routes were ranked based on their average turbulence levels, with EDR values categorized as light, moderate, moderate-to-severe, severe and extreme.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Participants self-identified their chronotype — their natural preference for sleep-wake timing — and were categorized as morning, intermediate or evening types.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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There’s also a theater room with low-level, dimmable lighting; beanbags; and a cubbyhole with a cushioned area.—
Jen Malia,
Curbed,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The school, which has around five hundred students, does not ask parents to report their immigration status, but more than half the kids are classified as English-language learners.—
Emily Witt,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The Helix is classified as a Part 103 ultralight aircraft, the same regulatory class as a hang glider.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tucked away in my old cubicle-size kitchen station, recipe by recipe, I was taken inside the minds of hundreds of pro chefs and developers.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Jan. 2026
-
After parkouring his way through the bank, the buck got stuck in a cubicle.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The downside, of course, is that a lack of funding means the creators either need to relegate their work to side-project status while working day jobs or find independent sources of funding, which can shut out more junior creators or those without pre-existing resources.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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But others waiting appeared to burn with the indignation of an era in US-Cuban relations that until recently had been relegated to the history books.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The thoughtful safety details—like the front snap pocket, secure zip-top compartment, and interior pockets—provide peace of mind that everything will stay in place.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Osprey Sirrus 34 Pack Hiking Backpack There are more than 10 compartments in this daypack, including a hydration sleeve with a hose port.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The court decision followed an audit by Panama’s comptroller that identified irregularities in a 25-year extension of the concession granted in 2021, according to the AP.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These two agents appear to be the two officers identified as the shooters in an initial report by the Department of Homeland Security about the incident.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These are the contours of the contemporary domestic thriller, a niche that has come to dominate every form of narrative entertainment by, for, and about women.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Ask ChatGPT to analyze successful content in your niche.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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