wheelhouse

noun

wheel·​house ˈ(h)wēl-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce wheelhouse (audio)
plural wheelhouses
1
: pilothouse
Looking out at the all-but-empty bay from the wheelhouse of the new 28-foot research boat …Bill Nemitz
He climbed a rickety rope ladder to the ship's deck, then another five flights of stairs to the wheelhouse.Daniel Machalaba
2
: a place or center of control or leadership (as in an organization)
But while there was momentary calm in the wheelhouse, there was still a real question whether anyone was really in command of the administration's foreign-policy machinery.David Gelman et al.
3
US
a
baseball : the section of the strike zone where it is easiest for the batter to hit the ball well
The home run came on a 3–2 pitch. [Danny] Graves tried to get Jenkins with a sinker. "It was right in his wheelhouse," Graves said.John Fay
b
: an area that matches a person's skills or expertise
… he was right in his wheelhouse—politics is where [Stephen] Colbert soars.Adam Chitwood

Examples of wheelhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Higher still, the bridge deck is outfitted with a wheelhouse, a captain’s cabin, and a cinema. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 Still, individuals usually rely on a robust wheelhouse of interventions to support their functioning. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 It’s achieved with large open deck areas and seating on every level, including a Portuguese bridge in front of the wheelhouse with a thermostatic seating area that uses heat recovered from the generators. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024 Banana chocolate-chip muffins, lava cakes, chocolate-mousse cakes, lemon bars, even cream puffs (my specialty) were well within my wheelhouse. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 11 Feb. 2024 Kris, however, stayed within her usual style wheelhouse, opting for a blousy black coat worn over a white button-down with black leather opera gloves. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 26 Jan. 2024 Innovation doesn't happen overnight, but having grit and the resilience to achieve your dreams is all within your wheelhouse. Geneva Schlabach, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 This is a terrific launchpad for a series that fits in CBS’s particular crime-procedural wheelhouse. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 These objects are in the wheelhouse of the infrared capabilities of the Webb telescope. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 6 Dec. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wheelhouse was in 1824

Dictionary Entries Near wheelhouse

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

wheelhouse

noun
wheel·​house -ˌhau̇s How to pronounce wheelhouse (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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