picket fence

noun

plural picket fences
: a fence made of pickets
a white picket fence
Old roses scrambling up a porch or spilling over a picket fence may be reminiscent of a bygone era.Michael MacCaskey
Tall pine trees lined both sides of the road, backdropped by an occasional stone wall or picket fencePeter Gordon
often used to evoke an idealized or stereotypical image or conception of happy suburban homes in the U.S.
First we are lulled with a vision of homespun Americana: flowers, a picket fence, a fireman waving from his fire truck, a man watering his front lawn.David Ansen
"Everyone saw me on TV or read articles, and it was all about my great marriage, the white picket fence, all this success and my perfect life. But behind the scenes, it was a struggle," says [Lindsay] Vonn …Elizabeth Leonard
… grandparents who were hoping their grandchildren would be raised behind a white picket fence and full-measure suburbanites …Janet Elder
We have worked our way up the real estate food chain to the point where we have a modest version of the complete suburban package: the picket fence, the stone walls, the in-ground pool …Charles McGrath

Examples of picket fence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Olivia de Havilland: Pictorial Parade/Getty Images Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart: John Springer Collection/Getty Images Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman: Newlyweds Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman lean on a white picket fence, after playing ping pong during their honeymoon at El Mirador Hotel. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 26 June 2024 Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital, where secrets hide behind white picket fences. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 21 June 2024 Here, a vintage watering can is hung from twine on a picket fence to showcase seasonal flowers. Kelly Roberson, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2024 An image of a family that was built on a man and a woman and a white picket fence. Quetzal Maucci, TIME, 17 June 2024 Located in the ship’s Surfside neighborhood – designed especially for young families – guests also have easy access to aqua parks, a carousel, restaurants like Pier 7 (which serves all-day brunch) and more, just beyond the townhouse’s picket fence on Deck 7. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2024 Though these pastures, with their picket fences and imported Friesian cows, have an appeal to them, their baldness offers a sobering clarity about what's been lost. Noo Saro-Wiwa, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2023 The clothing-optional portion, marked at either end by picket fences, offers rental beach chairs and umbrellas, as well as lifeguards. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024 His rim-rattling two-handed slam dunks drew the loudest cheers, but McKnight’s biggest impact came on the defensive side of the ball Thursday night, where the center put a picket fence around the rim in YV’s 67-54 victory over Benicia. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'picket fence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of picket fence was in 1777

Dictionary Entries Near picket fence

Cite this Entry

“Picket fence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picket%20fence. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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