1
: a solution or bath for preserving or cleaning: such as
a
: a brine or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved
b
: any of various baths used in industrial cleaning or processing
2
: a difficult situation : plight
could see no way out of the pickle I was in—
R. L. Stevenson
R. L. Stevenson3
: an article of food that has been preserved in brine or in vinegar
specifically
: a cucumber that has been so preserved
pickled; pickling
ˈpi-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle
2
: to give a light finish to (something, such as furniture) by bleaching or painting and wiping
Synonyms
Examples of pickle in a Sentence
Noun (1)
well, this is a bit of a pickle we've gotten ourselves into
Recent Examples on the Web
Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Poached from Chipotle at considerable expense, Niccol is in a pickle.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024
Hunter took game one 11-3, then got pickled in game two 11-0, then flipped the script and twinkie’d JW in game three 11-1 to move into the final.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pickle 
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Noun
What’s unfortunate is that WWE is in a booking pickle because Gunther and Rhodes could use the momentum-building win at Crown Jewel.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Poached from Chipotle at considerable expense, Niccol is in a pickle.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
For breakfast, guests can choose between a traditional Japanese meal (think miso soup, grilled mackerel, and pickled vegetables) and continental fare.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024
Hunter took game one 11-3, then got pickled in game two 11-0, then flipped the script and twinkie’d JW in game three 11-1 to move into the final.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pickle
Articles Related to pickle
Dictionary Entries Near pickle
Cite this Entry
“Pickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickle. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pickle
2 of 2 verb
pickled; pickling
ˈpik-(ə-)liŋ
: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle
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