as in categorized
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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Recent Examples of pigeonholed
Hamill could not always avoid being pigeonholed.
—
Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2026
Executives had pigeonholed her as a rom-com queen.
—New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
At 46, Kate Hudson has secured a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Song Sung Blue, marking a dramatic career shift 25 years after her first nomination and years of being pigeonholed as Hollywood’s rom-com leading lady.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Seattle’s assimilation of so many players that had previously been underestimated or counted out or pigeonholed, though — starting with former Jets first-round quarterback Sam Darnold — into such a dominant whole is rare.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
But Burns doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into that description.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Jan. 2026
Women, on the other hand, especially those in the limelight, are frequently pigeonholed into being the face of the brand or the marketing tool.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
There is a part of me that didn’t want to be pigeonholed.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
That’s hardly the only time Davis has been pigeonholed in her career.
—Galina Espinoza, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2025
Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2026
Executives had pigeonholed her as a rom-com queen.
—New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
At 46, Kate Hudson has secured a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Song Sung Blue, marking a dramatic career shift 25 years after her first nomination and years of being pigeonholed as Hollywood’s rom-com leading lady.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Seattle’s assimilation of so many players that had previously been underestimated or counted out or pigeonholed, though — starting with former Jets first-round quarterback Sam Darnold — into such a dominant whole is rare.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
But Burns doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into that description.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Jan. 2026
Women, on the other hand, especially those in the limelight, are frequently pigeonholed into being the face of the brand or the marketing tool.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
There is a part of me that didn’t want to be pigeonholed.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
That’s hardly the only time Davis has been pigeonholed in her career.
—Galina Espinoza, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pigeonholed
Verb
-
Jain is not even convinced that BTSP should be categorized as a non-Hebbian type of learning.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Critics express doubts Some health experts have suggested that legalization in the states has led to stronger and stronger cannabis products, which need to be researched rather than categorized less strictly than before.—
Gene Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism chief, said the attack has been officially classified as terrorism as investigators work to determine the motive and whether the Jewish community was deliberately targeted.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Treasurer Richard Cain allegedly searched for donations that had been classified as restricted to certain purposes but could be reclassified as unrestricted, without consulting with the finance committee or auditors.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They may even still get relegated.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Qualifying for the Champions League could boost revenue by a few hundred million; being relegated could cost a team an equal (or much greater) amount.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fine jewelry has been separated from the trashy costume stuff.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The first six cars of the train were separated from the rest and continued on to Penn.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The person who had called in the incident identified Sweeney, who was still there, as her killer.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Sleep Switch Inside Your Brain The team identified two chemical messengers in the hypothalamus that work like an accelerator and a brake.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pigeonholed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pigeonholed. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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