wall

1 of 3

noun

plural walls
1
a
: a high thick masonry structure forming a long rampart or an enclosure chiefly for defense
often used in plural
b
: a masonry fence around a garden, park, or estate
c
: a structure that serves to hold back pressure (as of water or sliding earth)
2
: one of the sides of a room or building connecting floor and ceiling or foundation and roof
3
: the side of a footpath next to buildings
4
: an extreme or desperate position or a state of defeat, failure, or ruin
The surrounded troops had their backs against the wall.
5
: a material layer enclosing space
the wall of a container
heart walls
6
: something resembling a wall (as in appearance, function, or effect)
especially : something that acts as a barrier or defense
a wall of reserve
tariff wall
wall-like adjective

wall

2 of 3

verb (1)

walled; walling; walls

transitive verb

1
a
: to provide, cover with, or surround with or as if with a wall
wall in the garden
b
: to separate by or as if by a wall
walled off half the house
2
a
: immure
walled the monster up within the tombE. A. Poe
b
: to close (an opening) with or as if with a wall

wall

3 of 3

verb (2)

walled; walling; walls

intransitive verb

of the eyes : to roll in a dramatic manner

transitive verb

: to roll (one's eyes) in a dramatic manner
Phrases
off the wall
slang : highly unusual : bizarre
The plan was off the wall.
up the wall
slang : into a state of intense agitation, annoyance, or frustration
The noise drove me up the wall.

Examples of wall in a Sentence

Noun A stone wall marks off their property. the Great Wall of China the walls of the ancient city She hung posters on the walls of her room. This apartment building has thin walls, and you can hear everything your neighbors say. Muscles in the abdominal wall help protect organs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
That includes using traditional features like pili grass thatching and rock walls made from local volcanic stone. Kristina Linnea Garcia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 The hotel, which is on standard time, does little things like have one wall clock per time zone in the lobby. Terry Tang, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Not after Omar put a kid’s head through the cafeteria wall. Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024 In 1988, when I was finally signed and my album came out, women were starting to break through the industry wall. Katie Bain, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024 Without much else to do, a friend and I approached one of many NYPD detectives lining the wall at the back of the room. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 8 Mar. 2024 Nearby, the formal dining room is decked out with backlit Italian quartzite wall panels behind floating glass shelves, another stone fireplace, and a high-gloss lacquered ceiling with ornamental antique molding. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 All walls, ceilings and trim are covered by low-volatile organic compound paint. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 The stage is dominated by what looks like an avant-garde Nordic tiny home placed on a rotating turntable, with walls that switch, as if by magic, from transparent to opaque and back. Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
Enter the electric spin scrubber, which is designed to effortlessly remove grime, dirt, and stains from hard-to-reach places in the tub and on the shower walls thanks to its long handle and fast-moving bristles. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Experts say overtime this changing landscape could lead to a dilemma: save the state’s iconic beaches or wall them off to protect the cliffside homes. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 William Workman installed a cemetery east of the family house in the present City of Industry, walled it in brick and fenced it in iron rails. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Becton attempted to recuse her office from the prosecution but the California Attorney General passed it back to the Contra Costa DA’s Office, after telling Becton to simply wall herself off from the case, multiple law enforcement sources said. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 Birney, who studied literature and taught poetry, walled himself in with books. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Nov. 2023 This is about tens of millions of people in the United States who have totally walled themselves off from hearing countervailing facts and opinions. Vulture, 21 Nov. 2023 Diller delighted tourists by renting out pink rooms walled with a lifetime of celebrity photos. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2023 The nearly two-thirds-acre property is walled for security and landscaped for privacy and relaxed enjoyment. Mark David, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English weall; akin to Middle High German wall; both from Latin vallum rampart, from vallus stake, palisade; perhaps akin to Old Norse vǫlr staff — more at wale

Verb (2)

Middle English (Scots) wawlen, probably from Middle English wawil- (in wawil-eghed walleyed)

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of wall was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wall

Cite this Entry

“Wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wall. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wall

1 of 2 noun
1
: a structure (as of brick or stone) meant to enclose or shut off a space
especially : a side of a room or building
2
: something resembling a wall
especially : something that acts as a barrier or defense
a tariff wall
3
: a layer of material that encloses space
the heart wall
the walls of a container
walled
ˈwȯld
adjective

wall

2 of 2 verb
1
: to provide, separate, or surround with or as if with a wall
wall in the garden
2
: to close off an opening with or as if with a wall
wall up a door

Medical Definition

wall

noun
: a structural layer surrounding a cavity, hollow organ, or mass of material
molecules small enough to be absorbed through the intestinal wallJosie Glausiusz
muscles of the abdominal wall
walled adjective

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