Synonyms

pits

British

/ pɪts /

plural noun

slang the worst possible person, place, or thing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pits

C20: perhaps shortened from armpits

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Warning: It doesn’t matter where you are in the general crowd, you need to be aware of mosh pits breaking out around you at any point.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The shafts and pits contained ceramic vessels and large quantities of plant and animal remains, including fish and birds.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Kimmel’s “Schooled!” competition show, which pits young scientists and their experiments against one another, secured $6.9 million.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Sunday's run-off in Arcis-sur-Aube pits Hittler against Renault-Zielinski and a third candidate, Annie Soucat.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023