Illustration of rhomboid
rhom·boid
ˈräm-ˌbȯid 
: a parallelogram with no right angles and with adjacent sides of unequal length
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Rhomboids, like triangles, may take various different shapes, but they always look like a lopsided diamond or rectangle. As both a noun and an adjective, rhomboid can be applied to anything with those shapes, such as certain muscles of the upper back when viewed from behind. Whenever you hear about rhomboid exercises, rhomboid strain, or rhomboid pain, it involves those muscles, which attach your shoulder blades to your spine and can be strained by carrying a heavy backpack, serving a tennis ball, or just slumping in your chair in front of a computer all day.
Examples of rhomboid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jakob Roze, Health, 25 Aug. 2025
That abduction overstretches and weakens the muscles that control the scapula, including the middle traps, lower traps, and rhomboids, which can lead to pain and increase injury risk in the upper back and shoulders.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
At the same time, a new generation of tanks had replaced the slow, clumsy rhomboids and toy-like vehicles of World War I.
—Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2023
To avoid that, tighten both your lats and rhomboids.
—Men's Health, 11 July 2023
Jakob Roze, Health, 17 Dec. 2024
Rowing with heavier loads elicits more muscle growth in your middle and lower traps, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, upper traps, rear deltoids, and rotator cuff muscles.
—Tony Gentilcore, Men's Health, 30 Nov. 2022
Rest is the initial plan for outfielder Max Kepler, who missed much of September because of a rhomboid strain — although Falvey said that Kepler will see a specialist.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 9 Oct. 2019
McIlroy said the injury is to a rhomboid muscle on the left side of his body.
—Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, 13 Aug. 2017
McIlroy, 28, punctuated a quiet week with a 68, his first sub-70 round of the tournament, and then said a lingering rib injury — a spasming left rhomboid muscle, to be precise — could sideline him indefinitely.
—Karen Crouse, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2017
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Noun
This exercise targets the majority of your major back muscles, such as your rhomboids, lats, traps, and erectors, as well as your biceps.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 25 Aug. 2025
That abduction overstretches and weakens the muscles that control the scapula, including the middle traps, lower traps, and rhomboids, which can lead to pain and increase injury risk in the upper back and shoulders.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
At the same time, a new generation of tanks had replaced the slow, clumsy rhomboids and toy-like vehicles of World War I.
—Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2023
To avoid that, tighten both your lats and rhomboids.
—Men's Health, 11 July 2023
Adjective
Face Pulls Face pulls target your upper back muscles, including your rhomboid muscles, while reducing tension in your upper trapezius muscles.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 17 Dec. 2024
Rowing with heavier loads elicits more muscle growth in your middle and lower traps, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, upper traps, rear deltoids, and rotator cuff muscles.
—Tony Gentilcore, Men's Health, 30 Nov. 2022
Rest is the initial plan for outfielder Max Kepler, who missed much of September because of a rhomboid strain — although Falvey said that Kepler will see a specialist.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 9 Oct. 2019
McIlroy said the injury is to a rhomboid muscle on the left side of his body.
—Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, 13 Aug. 2017
McIlroy, 28, punctuated a quiet week with a 68, his first sub-70 round of the tournament, and then said a lingering rib injury — a spasming left rhomboid muscle, to be precise — could sideline him indefinitely.
—Karen Crouse, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Rhomboid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhomboid. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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