What Are Common Pickleball Sayings?

Pickleball has developed its own vocabulary of common sayings and slang, including terms like "dink," "kitchen," "the kitchen line," "banger," "pickled" (losing a game without scoring any points), and "dill-icious" — playful, pickle-themed language that's become part of the sport's friendly, community-driven culture.

Common Pickleball Slang and Sayings

"Dink": A soft, controlled shot hit into the opponent's kitchen — also used as a verb ("dinking").
"The kitchen": The non-volley zone, the 7-foot area on each side of the net.
"Banger": A player who relies heavily on hard, fast shots (drives and smashes) rather than a soft, patient game.
"Pickled": Losing a game 11-0 (or the rally-scoring equivalent) without scoring a single point.
"Dill-icious": A playful exclamation used to celebrate a great shot or play, riffing on the sport's pickle theme.
"ATP" (Around the Post): A shot hit around the outside of the net post rather than over the net.
"Erne": An aggressive shot where a player jumps or steps outside the sideline to volley near the net post.
"Third shot": Shorthand for the third shot drop, the soft shot from the baseline that allows the serving team to advance to the kitchen line.

Note

Pickleball's playful, pun-heavy vocabulary (much of it riffing on the word "pickle" itself) is part of the sport's broader friendly, welcoming culture. Don't worry about memorizing every term before you start playing — most of this language is picked up naturally just by spending time on the court with other players.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to get "pickled" in pickleball?

Getting "pickled" means losing a game 11-0 (or the equivalent shutout score under a different scoring format) without scoring a single point — considered a particularly lopsided loss and often said in a teasing, lighthearted way.

Is being called a "banger" an insult?

It depends on context and tone — it can be a neutral description of a power-focused playing style, or sometimes used a bit teasingly to suggest a player relies too heavily on hard shots rather than developing a more well-rounded, patient game. It's generally good-natured rather than a serious insult.

Questions about pickleball community and culture? Email [email protected].