Pigeonhole
noun
A small open space or compartment to keep things neatly.
The office worker put the mail into different pigeonholes.

Often appears as...
- small pigeonhole
- pigeonhole desk
verb
To put someone or something into a category, often unfairly.
Teachers should not pigeonhole students based on their grades.

Often appears as...
- pigeonhole someone
- pigeonhole ideas
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To put aside or delay consideration or treatment of.
The manager pigeonholed the new proposal until he had more time to consider it.

Often appears as...
- pigeonhole proposal
- pigeonhole issue
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A small open space or compartment to keep things neatly.
The office worker put the mail into different pigeonholes.

Often appears as...
- small pigeonhole
- pigeonhole desk
verb
To put someone or something into a category, often unfairly.
Teachers should not pigeonhole students based on their grades.

Often appears as...
- pigeonhole someone
- pigeonhole ideas
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To put aside or delay consideration or treatment of.
The manager pigeonholed the new proposal until he had more time to consider it.

Often appears as...
- pigeonhole proposal
- pigeonhole issue
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3

Physical Object Storage
Pigeonholes are specific to physical organization, not digital.

Each student had a pigeonhole for their assignments in the classroom.
Neatness Implication
Using 'pigeonhole' often suggests a desire for neatness and order.

She appreciated the pigeonhole system at the library, making book sorting efficient.
Physical Object Storage
Pigeonholes are specific to physical organization, not digital.

Each student had a pigeonhole for their assignments in the classroom.
Neatness Implication
Using 'pigeonhole' often suggests a desire for neatness and order.

She appreciated the pigeonhole system at the library, making book sorting efficient.
Physical Object Storage
Pigeonholes are specific to physical organization, not digital.

Each student had a pigeonhole for their assignments in the classroom.
Neatness Implication
Using 'pigeonhole' often suggests a desire for neatness and order.

She appreciated the pigeonhole system at the library, making book sorting efficient.
Video examples
The politics of fiction...
a few from Nigeria. We're all thought to have something very distinctive, if not peculiar. The writer and commuter James Baldwin gave an interview in 1984 in which he was repeatedly asked about his homosexuality. When the interviewer tried to pigeonhole him
Video examples
The politics of fiction...
a few from Nigeria. We're all thought to have something very distinctive, if not peculiar. The writer and commuter James Baldwin gave an interview in 1984 in which he was repeatedly asked about his homosexuality. When the interviewer tried to pigeonhole him
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Slowthai
English Musician
I don't like being pigeonholed. Why would you want to limit yourself to one style or one genre? Labels are something I want to avoid. I've had it my whole life, being pushed into a place, a circumstance or situation I didn't want to be in. My motivation has always been to get away from it.

Quote examples
Xzibit
American Musician
I'm not feeding my kid off movie roles so it's easy for me to say 'no' to things but it's important for me to have this presence and I know it's easy to stereotype and pigeonhole certain people that come from a certain genre but I can do more than a lot of people expect.

Quote examples
Jaime Pressly
American Dancer
I don't have one specific dream role: I'm an actor, so I want to play everything. In this business, they'll pigeonhole you in two seconds if you're great at the role you play. Everyone assumes that you're really just like that character.

Quote examples
Jamila Woods
American Musician
My artistic manifesto exists in the world as poetry. So even though most of the things that I've done have been on other people's projects or could be pigeonholed in certain ways, that's not how I perceive myself.

Quote examples
Laura Vandervoort
Canadian Actress
I've done a lot of sci-fi, so I was a little hesitant because you get pigeonholed into that genre and world. But at the same time, I love sci-fi because the women are so strong and independent and smart.

Quote examples
Laura Dern
American Actress
My dad taught me to never be pigeonholed; to really allow yourself to reinvent characters as they reinvent you; to be bold and to be willing to play seemingly unlikeable people.

Quote examples
Sean Evans
American Entertainer
For many an awkward, pigeonholed high school kid, the first day on campus is a chance to re-introduce themselves to the world. In most cases, this is an unfortunate occasion.

Quote examples
Steven Crowder
Canadian Actor
When it comes to the liberal agenda, it's more important to pigeonhole people than it is to speak the truth.

Quote examples
Joe R. Lansdale
American Writer
I've never liked the publishing world's determination to pigeonhole every writer into a genre.

Quote examples
Zosia Mamet
American Actress
I think any actor in their right mind is afraid of getting pigeonholed.

Quote examples
Slowthai
English Musician
I don't like being pigeonholed. Why would you want to limit yourself to one style or one genre? Labels are something I want to avoid. I've had it my whole life, being pushed into a place, a circumstance or situation I didn't want to be in. My motivation has always been to get away from it.

Quote examples
Xzibit
American Musician
I'm not feeding my kid off movie roles so it's easy for me to say 'no' to things but it's important for me to have this presence and I know it's easy to stereotype and pigeonhole certain people that come from a certain genre but I can do more than a lot of people expect.

Quote examples
Jaime Pressly
American Dancer
I don't have one specific dream role: I'm an actor, so I want to play everything. In this business, they'll pigeonhole you in two seconds if you're great at the role you play. Everyone assumes that you're really just like that character.

Quote examples
Jamila Woods
American Musician
My artistic manifesto exists in the world as poetry. So even though most of the things that I've done have been on other people's projects or could be pigeonholed in certain ways, that's not how I perceive myself.

Quote examples
Laura Vandervoort
Canadian Actress
I've done a lot of sci-fi, so I was a little hesitant because you get pigeonholed into that genre and world. But at the same time, I love sci-fi because the women are so strong and independent and smart.

Quote examples
Laura Dern
American Actress
My dad taught me to never be pigeonholed; to really allow yourself to reinvent characters as they reinvent you; to be bold and to be willing to play seemingly unlikeable people.

Quote examples
Sean Evans
American Entertainer
For many an awkward, pigeonholed high school kid, the first day on campus is a chance to re-introduce themselves to the world. In most cases, this is an unfortunate occasion.

Quote examples
Steven Crowder
Canadian Actor
When it comes to the liberal agenda, it's more important to pigeonhole people than it is to speak the truth.

Quote examples
Joe R. Lansdale
American Writer
I've never liked the publishing world's determination to pigeonhole every writer into a genre.

Quote examples
Zosia Mamet
American Actress
I think any actor in their right mind is afraid of getting pigeonholed.

Example 1 of 10
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