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
Billie Melissa, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
To anyone listening for shibboleths, this would have pigeonholed him as a progressive.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
David Colman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
Beefheart built a rabid cult following with an abrasive style that’s tough to pigeonhole (and, for the faint of heart, tough to comfortably sit through).
—Ryan Reed, SPIN, 16 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Verb
Nominated for eight at this year's Academy Awards, including a nod for in the Best Actor category, A Complete Unknown charts the rise of Bob Dylan in the folk music scene, and his ultimate rebellion against being pigeonholed.
—Billie Melissa, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
To anyone listening for shibboleths, this would have pigeonholed him as a progressive.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
And even those films starring endlessly reincarnating supernatural psycho slashers chasing nubile coeds aren’t so simple to pigeonhole politically.
—David Colman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
Beefheart built a rabid cult following with an abrasive style that’s tough to pigeonhole (and, for the faint of heart, tough to comfortably sit through).
—Ryan Reed, SPIN, 16 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
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The recall is categorized as class 3, which is the least serious category and means that exposure to the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences, according to the FDA.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2025
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Biologists of many different subdisciplines categorize life in a field called systematics.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Image Image The center is visible from the street through a glass entrance opening to a wide corridor and wall of custom shelving with cubbyholes, pegboards and stools designed by the architect Koray Duman.—
Hilarie M. Sheets,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Even though his 1,440-square-foot cubbyhole packed with used books was closed to walk-in customers during the first few months of the lockdown, Maxwell saw a 30% to 40% boost in sales during that time because customers sharply pivoted to buying books online.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The curriculum guides middle school students and teachers through building and evaluating computer vision models that can reliably classify fossil shark teeth.—
Christine Wusylko,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2025
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Kathleen Kelley Reardon, an expert on organizational politics, classifies political environments from minimally to pathologically politicized.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As baby boomers retire, talented STEM graduates have generally gravitated to high-tech jobs in cubicles rather than gain experience from the factory floor.—
Louis Gritzo,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Mad scramble for parking and cubicles The transition from remote work has been bumpy.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA TODAY,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There followed a surreal half-time chat between Chapman and Poyet about his dismissal, with the game relegated to a sideshow, as fellow pundit Efan Ekoku shifted awkwardly in his seat.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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The herb once relegated to savory cooking has begun popping up in cocktails, as more bartenders enlist its unique flavor to liven up recipes.—
Kevin Gray,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The handsome piece offers an adjustable shelf plus a flip-down compartment for easy-to-access media components.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2025
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There’s no real spot for shoes, and personal items must be tucked into narrow compartments.—
Scott Campbell,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Heading into final rotation, the two championship hopefuls were separated by just 0.075.—
Henry Chappell,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
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After Wednesday’s win in Chicago, only one road win over the Hawks separates the Heat from making the playoffs for the sixth straight season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The best opportunities are often hidden in niche industry Slack groups or LinkedIn direct messages.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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What’s more, Moche canals functioned in tandem with floodwater diversion canals, which activated during El Niño events to create niches of agricultural productivity amid disasters.—
Ari Caramanica,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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