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 On the day of the scavenger hunt, the team hides its creations around town, while ravenous worm-hunters eagerly await their first hint of where a ceramic worm decorated to look like a pickle, or a crayon, or a rainbow dinosaur, can be found. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Its chicken salad scoop options include Olivia’s Old South (sweet pickles and egg), Jalapeño Holly, Nutty Nanna (with pecans and cashews) and Barbie Q. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2026 Her sister Judith can grow huge pumpkins, her twin brother Sammy can heal ailing plants, and her Auntie Dee makes pickles that can predict the future. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 Dill is a favorite of cooks who love adding its bright flavor to everything from potato salad to pickles. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 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
  • The relentless rain associated with Hurricane Isaias didn’t stop some hikers from venturing onto trails and greenways in North Carolina, leading to life-threatening predicaments, officials say.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Through one dangerous predicament after another, his stunt work reveals a performer who seems entirely comfortable in his own skin.
    — Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of predicament
Noun
  • The Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of the Sputnik satellite posed a profound dilemma for NATO.
    — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The dilemma reveals one of the structural flaws in American healthcare.
    — Dylan Scott, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dilemma
Noun
  • His unit had shown holes in the secondary, ranking 131st in the country in pass defense.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Joe Jackson ran for 159 yards and a touchdown, Avery Johnson threw for 203 yards and another score, and the Wildcats overcame a multitude of mistakes while rallying from an early 10-point hole to keep nearly two decades of dominance going.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 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
  • The rain is expected to stop by kickoff, but not after nearly 24 hours of it, which may have turned the grass surface of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium into a swamp (it is equipped with quite the advanced draining system).
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Del Rey’s husband, Jeremy Dufrene, will even have a bit role as Mud Dog Mike, Back Country Radio’s roving reporter, swamp meteorologist, and airboat captain (which Dufrene is in real life).
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of swamp
Noun
  • The Guardians had a runner on first with one out in the third when second baseman Ben Williamson robbed DeLauter of a hit that prevented a first-and-third jam.
    — Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Besides her own headlining set, karaoke queen Clarkson is sure to be asked to stick around for the festival’s traditional closing night jam of all-1990s covers.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 13 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pickle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pickle

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