pigeonhole

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“If we embrace narrow group-based identities too fiercely, we cling to the very cages in which others would seek to trap us. We pigeonhole ourselves.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

"Aerospace has something for people with different backgrounds, different qualifications, there's so much variety. So don't pigeonhole yourself, there really is something for everyone here."

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

Regarding, Laura's edit: The show needs a villain, and in many instances, they try to pigeonhole someone who doesn't, in any way, fit those criteria.

From Salon • May 22, 2024

“I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t. I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2023

This bit of common sense, sometimes termed the pigeonhole or Dirichlet drawer principle, can occasionally be used to derive claims that are not so obvious.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos