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Glite Dictionary
square peg in a round hole

square peg in a round hole

1 6.7
A person who does not fit into a job or group
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : pez fuera del agua
  • It's always seemed to me like it's forcing a square peg in a round hole, and that discussion reinforced that impression.
  • fit a square peg in a round hole

Examples

  • Many artists feel like square pegs in round holes in corporate environments that stifle creativity.

  • And I began to feel like a square peg in a round hole.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Yes, but I think you are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Usually they leave disappointed, or else they go through great lengths to put a "square peg in a round hole" to make something fit.

    Blog text (33)

  • You've heard about that poor square peg in a round hole, yes?

    Blog text (19)

  • Give Harbaugh credit; he didn't come in and try to fit a square peg in a round hole.

    Blog text (8)

  • Hopefully Shanny won't try to put a square peg in a round hole, if you know what I mean.

    Blog text (30)

  • She felt like a square peg in a round hole when she started the new job, as the company culture was so different from what she was used to.

  • At the team meeting, he realized he was a square peg in a round hole among colleagues who preferred traditional methods over his innovative ideas.

Synonyms

misfit
vssquare peg in a round hole
54 5.1

A person who acts differently from others and cannot join in

is about not fitting a specific role or situation rather than failing to adapt
odd man
vssquare peg in a round hole
  • Informal
9 5.9

A person who does not fit in with a group

describes not fitting a particular position or situation rather than general oddity
never-wozzer
vssquare peg in a round hole
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who feels awkward and does not belong

is about not fitting into a specific role or situation rather than feeling awkward
loose fish
vssquare peg in a round hole
  • Informal
9.9

A person who feels out of place in a group

emphasizes mismatch with a specific role or situation instead of group norms

Antonyms

to fit in
44 3.2

Match another thing and look good together

Surface Forms

square peg in a round hole singular
square pegs in a round hole plural

Morphology

square + peg + in + a + round + hole

The expression evokes a clear literal image — a square peg cannot fit into a round hole — which directly maps onto the metaphorical meaning of someone who does not fit a situation. This visual, compositional mapping is cross‑linguistically common and follows straightforward logic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the idiomatic sense.

Etymology

Square peg in a round hole gives a simple picture: imagine trying to push a square peg into a round hole — it will not fit and looks wrong. So, the phrase is used for a person who 'does not fit' in a particular place or job.