wheel

1 of 2

noun

plural wheels
1
: a circular frame of hard material that may be solid, partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle
2
: a contrivance or apparatus having as its principal part a wheel: such as
a
: a chiefly medieval instrument of torture designed for mutilating a victim (as by stretching or disjointing)
b
c
: any of many revolving disks or drums used as gambling paraphernalia
e
: steering wheel
… drivers are expected to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive …Emily Dreibelbis
see also behind the wheel
3
a
: an imaginary turning wheel symbolizing the inconstancy of fortune
b
: a recurring course, development, or action : cycle
4
: something (such as a round, flat cheese) resembling a wheel in shape
5
a
: a curving or circular movement
b
: a rotation or turn usually about an axis or center
specifically : a turning movement of troops or ships in line in which the units preserve alignment and relative positions as they change direction
6
a
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
b
: a directing or controlling force
c
: a person of importance especially in an organization
a big wheel
7
: the refrain or burden of a song
8
a
: a circuit of theaters or places of entertainment
b
: a sports league
9
wheels plural, slang : a wheeled vehicle
especially : car, automobile
"Man, you got to get yourself some new wheels. When I get to college, I'm gonna get me a white Nissan Sentra …" Darcy Frey
10
wheels plural, slang : legs
wheelless adjective

Illustration of wheel

Illustration of wheel
  • 1 hub
  • 2 spoke
  • 3 felly
  • 4 tire

wheel

2 of 2

verb

wheeled; wheeling; wheels

intransitive verb

1
: to turn on or as if on an axis : revolve
2
: to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
the battalion would have wheeled to the flankWalter Bernstein
her mind will wheel around to the other extremeLiam O'Flaherty
wheeled to face her opponent
3
: to move or extend in a circle or curve
birds in wheeling flight
valleys where young cotton wheeled slowly in fanlike rowsWilliam Faulkner
4
: to travel on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle

transitive verb

1
: to cause to turn on or as if on an axis : rotate
2
: to convey or move on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle
wheeled the patient back to his room
wheeled the car into the driveway
wheel in the experts
3
: to cause to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
4
: to make or perform in a circle or curve
Phrases
wheel and deal
: to make deals or do business especially shrewdly or briskly

Examples of wheel in a Sentence

Noun The car's rear wheels started to spin on the icy road. the wheels of a train a suitcase with wheels on the bottom a wheel of cheddar cheese Verb Doctors wheeled the patient into the operating room. He wheeled his motorcycle into the garage. Our waiter wheeled out a small dessert cart. She wheeled around in her chair when I entered the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
That meant that players who wanted to make a vehicle, for example, could tinker with different tools instead of being restricted to something basic like a wheel and a board. Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024 Carry-on bags can measure no more than 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high, including handles and wheels, according to American Airlines. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Common luggage problems Adames was quick to point out his most common repairs: zippers and wheels. Kelsey Chapman, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024 But even before the fall of Kabul, most Afghan women rarely got behind the wheel. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024 In fact, having your own set of wheels was wildly popular even if there was no engine involved: Riding a bike (or skateboard, or scooter) got 71 percent support. Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 All of this would seem to have allowed for plenty of courtship time before the pressures of fame added a third wheel to the relationship. Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 Just last week, a wheel came loose and smashed through a car, and earlier this year the door from a 737 Max aircraft broke off mid-flight. Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 As images obtained by the outlet show, the wheel broke one vehicle's rear windshield, damaged a Tesla, bent part of a fence and eventually landed in a nearby lot. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
For many applications, the source has to be powerful enough to overcome extreme signal attenuation, efficient enough to avoid having to wheel around your own power generator, and small enough to be deployed in the field without having to be toted around on a flatbed truck. IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024 Photos and video show Castro on a scissor lift, wheeling his way toward the nearly 2,000-pound load that was suspended 16 feet into the air. Maya Miller, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024 Police believe Stengel was killed in the kitchen area of the restaurant, wrapped in a garbage bag, placed in a garbage can, and then wheeled outside to the dumpster area. Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2024 Sherman swiveled around, turning his back to the camera, and wheeled himself away. Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024 All Democrats were in attendance after Rep. Al Green, a Texas Democrat, was wheeled into the vote wearing hospital scrubs after emergency surgery. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2024 Park employees can wheel the telescope out of the building for viewings. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 During a recent tour of the land, which sits low in San Geronimo Valley, less than an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, Mr. Rodriguez motioned to rolling hills that serve as habitat for wildlife, including hawks that were wheeling overhead. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Unlike old-fashioned trunks, it can be wheeled around. Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wheel.' 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 hweogol, hwēol; akin to Old Norse hvēl wheel, Greek kyklos circle, wheel, Skt cakra, Latin colere to cultivate, inhabit, Sanskrit carati he moves, wanders

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near wheel

Cite this Entry

“Wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wheel

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwē(ə)l How to pronounce wheel (audio)
ˈwē(ə)l
1
: a disk or circular frame turning on a central point
2
: a device (as a bicycle or potter's wheel) whose main part is a wheel
3
: something resembling a wheel (as in being round)
a wheel of cheese
4
: a curving or circular movement
5
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
6
: a person of importance
he was a big wheel in town
7
plural, slang : automobile
he borrowed my wheels for an upcoming date
wheeled
ˈhwē(ə)ld
ˈwē(ə)ld
adjective

wheel

2 of 2 verb
1
: to turn on or as if on a central point : revolve
2
: to change direction as if turning on a central point
wheeled about to face her opponent
3
: to move in a circle or curve
4
: to carry or move on wheels or in a vehicle
wheel a load into the barn

More from Merriam-Webster on wheel

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