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
Relevance
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
But after arriving to the property, she’s lured into a desperate scavenger hunt down a perilous rabbit hole.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Backstage at All Things Go in New York, the singer-songwriter pulled Rolling Stone into her YouTube rabbit hole while going through her playlist on the latest installment of Song Shuffle.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
Go down the very well-to-do rabbit hole of James Thurstan Waterworth, formerly Soho House’s design director, by opting for The Nest (Room 3).
—Chloe Frost-Smith, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
These are all statements said in an attempt to draw concern from you to contact the source of the email and fall into the rabbit hole the scammers have dug.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rabbit hole
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Backstage at All Things Go in New York, the singer-songwriter pulled Rolling Stone into her YouTube rabbit hole while going through her playlist on the latest installment of Song Shuffle.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
Go down the very well-to-do rabbit hole of James Thurstan Waterworth, formerly Soho House’s design director, by opting for The Nest (Room 3).
—Chloe Frost-Smith, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
These are all statements said in an attempt to draw concern from you to contact the source of the email and fall into the rabbit hole the scammers have dug.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rabbit hole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabbit hole
Noun
-
Flaherty has a $20 million player option for next season and could make more by opting out and accepting the qualifying offer, which presents an interesting dilemma.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
That points to the major dilemma underpinning Sharaa’s position.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shaw spent the next two decades in prison, determined to make something positive out of her predicament.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Netanyahu systematically ignored this imperative and thus dragged Israel into its current predicament.—
Ehud Barak,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Avoid an acid overload of tart and tangy (pickles and citrus), a bold flavor competition, sweet and funky flavors colliding (fruity jams and aged cheeses), and a clash of spicy meats and cheeses with delicate fruits and accompaniments.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Eggs, pickles, pimientos, and plenty of Yukon golds are the heroes of this praise-worthy potato salad.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Buffalo’s forward depth has already been tested early in the season, and Danforth is a versatile player who helps the Sabres plug holes in the bottom six.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
When the Chicago rat hole went viral, Magle and his team considered how the mark was made.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The organization was in a bureaucratic bind, and had to find a way to hold what should have been the second major of 2020 or risk financial peril.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The corporation is in something of a bind, with its decision almost certain to generate criticism either way.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
So much for draining the swamp.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
-
And while the experiments show the presence of microlightning between bubbles, the glow was not reproduced at a level that would be seen in a swamp.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
At other times, he was involved in more build-up play, with first-time flicks around the corner particularly effective in moving Arsenal upfield quickly.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
And now, one such creation slithers, squeezes, and twists through the narrowest corners.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rabbit hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabbit%20hole. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share