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
Brian Mazique, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Miscommunication or rigid roles often lead to isolation, where people are pigeonholed based on age or assumptions rather than their actual interests or expertise.
—Francois Botha, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Both Los Angeles and Mexico City have dining ecosystems too vast to pigeonhole; flashy glamour will always be part of them.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Verb
According to Ricochet, Irvin wanted to be a character in WWE storylines and seemingly felt pigeonholed in her role as a ring announcer.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Miscommunication or rigid roles often lead to isolation, where people are pigeonholed based on age or assumptions rather than their actual interests or expertise.
—Francois Botha, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
Noun
Much like Chambers is indelibly linked to funk and fusion, White tends to be pigeonhole as a fusion patriarch.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Both Los Angeles and Mexico City have dining ecosystems too vast to pigeonhole; flashy glamour will always be part of them.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for pigeonhole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonhole
Verb
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Companies, especially those in the B2B realm, shouldn’t merely categorize their adoption of AI as a moat—at least, not for long.—
Dhiraj Bhat,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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While there is no official classification, cities in China are often categorized in certain tiers based on factors such as gross domestic product (GDP) and population.—
Lee Ying Shan,Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Isle of Gelato: A cubbyhole of a place on Pedlar Street sells artisanal ice creams, including vegan recipes, that have amassed quite a following.—
Prasad Ramamurthy,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Sep. 2024
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Once removed from their cubbyhole, the bits can be inserted in one of two hexagonal driver holes.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
17 July 2024
Verb
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Despite the depth and breadth of his transactions, Sweeney did not classify his work as a teardown.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
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Using data from nearly 10,000 herbarium specimens, scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have brought attention to the conservation status of these plants, revealing that 87 species—almost half of the genus—are now classified as threatened with extinction.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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No matter the size of the cubicle layout, companies can install tall dividers (around six feet tall) between desks rather than short (around three feet tall) whack-a-mole-style cubicles.—
Dr. Cynthia J. Young,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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There were the usual cubicles, copy machines and coffee mugs — but, above it all, there was roof of jagged rock, covered in metal mesh to keep rocks from falling on employees’ heads.—
Jess Bidgood,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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There’s a pleasing trilogy symmetry in Haugerud’s focus for the first time here exclusively on female desire, with men relegated to the periphery.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Feb. 2025
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This last collection is the result of a ten-year exploration throughout the Country, looking for all the regions no longer inhabited and relegated to the margins.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Thousands of tons of drugs have moved through the city over the decades, hidden in vehicle compartments, in suburban stash houses, and semitrailer loads of everything from avocados to live sheep.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2025
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On the back of the robot near the charging contacts is a dirty water compartment, separate from the mopping liquid reservoir, that pulls free by pressing an inset release lever.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The January Starship mishap occurred over the North Atlantic after the 171-foot (52-meter) Starship separated from the Super Heavy rocket booster that hauled it toward space.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
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After Ruby’s arrest, Kevin, who had been separated from his wife for a year, filed for divorce and began seeking to regain custody of his four children.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Max Einhorn, one of many filmmakers and industry executives who have formed AI production companies, has a unique niche in a developing market.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
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What began as a niche concept has grown into a specialized solution for aerospace manufacturers and technicians.—
Jason Phillips,
USA TODAY,
6 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to pigeonhole
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonhole. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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