rabbit hole

noun

Definition of rabbit holenext
as in dilemma
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape shoreline residents are finding themselves helplessly falling down a rabbit hole in their Sisyphean efforts to halt beach erosion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rabbit hole And his father—an entrepreneurial success in his own right—led him further down the investing rabbit hole. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 The fraud investigation that followed led Pittsburg police and the FBI down a rabbit hole of sophisticated scamming networks; along the way police may have uncovered additional victims. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 Don’t let any seed of doubt creep in because that’s just going to bring you down the rabbit hole. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Still, that has not meant Trump has any less zeal for this 2020 rabbit hole. — Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rabbit hole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabbit hole
  1. dilemma
  2. predicament
  3. pickle
  4. hole
  5. bind
  6. swamp
  7. corner
Noun
  • This creates a dilemma for submitters, who must decide whether to use AI to write or rewrite their materials to gain an advantage, despite rules against it.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • While synthetic alternatives solve the ethical dilemma, many of them are plastic-based and very difficult to recycle.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of dilemma
Noun
  • Cambodia's predicament shows that dangers remain even when fighting ends.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • And Mitchell doesn't waste any time making the life-or-death stakes of the Platts' predicament abundantly clear.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicament
Noun
  • Vegans can also get in on the fun combinations; the Big Mack is loaded with Impossible Burger, vegan mozzarella and Thousand Island dressing, pickles, white onion, iceberg lettuce and sesame seeds.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This is the ideal cut for stir-fries, ratatouille, or zucchini pickles.
    — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of pickle
Noun
  • There is a lot to like about the Reds, but there are also some glaring holes.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The result was the equivalent of an X-ray of the subsurface extending roughly 300 feet underground, without drilling a single hole.
    — Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • The Hightower high lord and his armies have occupied Tumbleton and have Rhaenyra in something of a bind.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • States cannot file for bankruptcy, leaving the Prairie State in an unusually tight bind.
    — Gregory Kearney, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of bind
Noun
  • The half moons on the crawfish's back and their spotty claws identify the red swamp crawfish.
    — Elle Meyers, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • After that, the Guadalquivir River ecosystem saw a huge overhaul as the swamp crayfish carried Aphanomyces astaci.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of swamp
Noun
  • Hentges put the tying run on base by plunking pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones, then Red Sox put runners on the corners as Andruw Monasterio beat out a potential double play ball.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Near the left corner of the 6-yard box, Pereyra turned and flicked a shot inside the back post.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of corner

Browse Nearby Words

rabbit
rabbit hole
rabbit holes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rabbit hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabbit%20hole. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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