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
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
Whether your perception of Gen Z is shaped by real-world interactions or two-dimensional headlines, pigeonholing a whole generation is reductive.
—Alex Cooper, Fortune, 16 May 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
German actors abroad are often pigeonholed as villains.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
Whether your perception of Gen Z is shaped by real-world interactions or two-dimensional headlines, pigeonholing a whole generation is reductive.
—Alex Cooper, Fortune, 16 May 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 film has been categorized as semi-autobiographical in nature for The Parent Trap director.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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Police categorized what happened to Mack as a misdemeanor simple assault, the incident report shows.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Noun
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During the decades with Cox at the helm of the Braves, the smell of cigar smoke became familiar, wafting from the home dugout on early afternoons at old Fulton County Stadium or from a cubbyhole next to the home dugout at Turner Field.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
-
How sweet the letters from Gita had been, arriving in his grad-school cubbyhole at Brooklyn Poly!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each conference room is classified as good, dark or backlit, and those ratings can then be correlated with occupancy and complaints.—
Melody Brue,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
The water contained glycol, causing it to be classified as an environmental hazard, officials wrote in a report after investigating the accident.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
Noun
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And smartwatches like the rugged Garmin Epix Pro track your health stats from the most brutal outdoor conditions to the most mundane days in the cubicle.—
Kelsey Fogarty,
PC Magazine,
8 June 2026
-
The bathroom, located at the opposite end to the porch door, features a walk-in shower cubicle, a vanity sink, storage cabinets, and a toilet.—
Stefan Ionescu
June 04,
New Atlas,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Towns had been relegated to the bench for most of the first half in a game the Spurs dominated from the start.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
-
Given his size and lackluster speed, Ballinger has been relegated to first base duties to date.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The backpack has a specific laptop compartment for easy commuting.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Each seat came equipped with a storage compartment, charging ports, a foldout table, and a frosted privacy divider tucked into the armrest, making the setup felt like a private little suite in the sky.—
Jalyn Robinson,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
Verb
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All three of them also identified the same soldier – standing in the middle of the road, no more than 30 feet from the vehicle – as the one who opened fire.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Witnesses provided officers with a photograph and description of the suspect's vehicle, helping investigators quickly identify and locate Harmon.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
Noun
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As screens dominate work, school and leisure, knowing the warning signs and how to ease them has become a daily-life issue, not a niche health concern.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
-
Eight honey scent perfumes stand out for 2026, spanning fresh florals, sultry tobacco blends and modern niche releases.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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