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

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 Chris is a freelance journalist who, when not writing or falling further down the Lego rabbit hole, indulges his taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic. — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 15 June 2026 That level of detail means even the smallest uncertainty can send her down a research rabbit hole. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026 My best friend was like, ‘That story is rabbit hole upon rabbit hole upon rabbit hole — no one knows what really happened. — Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 Alice tumbled down a rabbit hole; Lucy wandered through a wardrobe. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 May 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
  • In India’s tech city Bengaluru, 24-year-old graphic designer Aditi Garg faces a similar dilemma.
    — Priyanka Salve,Raksha Murali, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The backtracking illustrates how the politics of criminal justice have shifted since 2020, posing dilemmas for Democrats’ midterm strategy and their ability to enact their preferred solutions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of dilemma
Noun
  • With so many clubs stuck in that vast middle, Detroit’s predicament illustrates the fluid nature of this deadline.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Now, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert faces an awkward predicament.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of predicament
Noun
  • The wine’s dark fruit reaches the beef, while its savory edge accommodates the turmeric pickles on the plate.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix offered downtown visitors a surprise escape from pickle overload during this year’s Picklesburgh festival, turning Market Square into a living museum of automotive history.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Definition of pickle
Noun
  • The Airbnb is also equipped with a hot tub, a nine-hole disc golf course, and lots of board games, so there’s always something to do.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over cake, about 1-inch apart.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 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 trail off that parking lot is wooded and crosses miles of wetlands and river swamp with multiple bridges and places where people can fish, canoe, and kayak.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 30 July 2026
  • What Can't Be Copied If credentials were the old swamp and AI just drained it, the question left standing is, well, what is left to defend?
    — Alli Kushner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of swamp
Noun
  • After returning home, Cheogyal restarted his life and education in his home county Drago (Luhuo in Chinese), located in the rolling grasslands and mountains of a Tibetan region of Sichuan, on the southeastern corner of the Tibet-Qinghai plateau.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Femi blasted Lesnar with a trio of body shots and running uppercuts in the corner.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 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 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All