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 WebHannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 May 2024
It’s got the sweetness of the pork and its crispy fattiness, complemented by the sweet sourness and heat of the vinegar pickles.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pickle 
Noun
Since then, the model has shared more photos of her bump and revealed her biggest pregnancy craving so far: pickles topped with egg salad and hot sauce.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 May 2024
It’s got the sweetness of the pork and its crispy fattiness, complemented by the sweet sourness and heat of the vinegar pickles.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pickle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pickle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickle. Accessed 29 May. 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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