pickle

noun

ˈpi-kəl How to pronounce pickle (audio)
Definition of picklenext
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape well, this is a bit of a pickle we've gotten ourselves into

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pickle Anderson’s $38 jars of pickles raised $500,000 for the California Wildlife Center. — Marc Malkin, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 Much of the menu, which is influenced by Italian and French techniques, lets farm-fresh produce shine, but Guzman also ferments her fair share of things, whether with koji or in the form of the house pickles offered as an amuse-bouche. — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026 Its chicken salad scoop options include the Olivia’s Old South (sweet pickles and egg), Jalapeño Holly (with jalapeños), Nutty Nanna (with pecans and cashews), and Barbie Q. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026 And Pickle City pickle ball courts, as well as an indoor go-karting track and an arcade, are open as entertainment options. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pickle
  1. predicament
  2. dilemma
  3. hole
  4. bind
  5. swamp
  6. jam
Noun
  • Roy interrupts this life update to summon the Diamond Dogs for advice about his predicament.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In Brittle Magic, Newbery honoree Kate O’Shaughnessy introduces us to a young girl in a similar predicament.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of predicament
Noun
  • The drug dilemma Don Moulds sounds exasperated when talking about prescription drugs, which have been political fuel for more than a decade.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But strains at the top of the organization over its brand and direction reflect many premium news outlets’ dilemmas about survival and profit in a post-traffic, AI-ascendant media age.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of dilemma
Noun
  • The average user on both a sportsbook and prediction market loses money, and trying to claw back losses puts users in even deeper financial holes, experts warn.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Walker split a hole created by Trey Smith and Jaylon Moore on the right side of the line, never broke stride and sprinted 76 yards down the right side to set up the Chiefs’ go-ahead touchdown pass to Thornton in the fourth quarter.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • More recently, in 2023, Belarusian embassies abroad stopped extending or renewing passports entirely, putting dissidents who fled the country in a similar bind to those from Myanmar.
    — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Feasting on neutrality Few illustrate the current bind better than Caitlin Clark.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bind
Noun
  • Housing discrimination and segregation were deep-seated, and the Los Angeles sky was the color of swamp water.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The decision by crypto’s current generation of leaders to trade in these ideals for swamp-style politics can, therefore, be seen as a deep betrayal.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of swamp
Noun
  • Despite this informal, jam-forward approach, however, Silk Fence appear to be chasing something; an understated but steady coherence gives direction to even their most wandering moments.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Western North Carolina, MGU rolled through an hour-long set of new material from Appalachian Smoke and intricate improvisational jams.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of jam

Browse Nearby Words

picking up on
pickle
pickled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pickle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pickle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pickle

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