cartwheel

1 of 2

noun

cart·​wheel ˈkärt-ˌ(h)wēl How to pronounce cartwheel (audio)
1
: a large coin (such as a silver dollar)
2
: a lateral handspring with arms and legs extended

cartwheel

2 of 2

verb

cartwheeled; cartwheeling; cartwheels

intransitive verb

: to move like a turning wheel
specifically : to perform cartwheels
cartwheeler noun

Examples of cartwheel in a Sentence

Noun The children turned cartwheels and somersaults on the grass. Verb She cartwheeled across the floor. The car hit the pole and then cartwheeled across the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Boeing has been plagued by missteps and delays all year, and despite appointing new leadership, the CEO of one of its biggest customers is not exactly doing cartwheels. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024 In the Instagram video, Charlotte performed a cartwheel followed by a back somersault on an inflatable mat in what appeared to be the family’s backyard. Hannah Sacks, People.com, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
It’s called the Biles II, also known as the Yurchenko double pike, a nod to the former Soviet gymnast who originated the cartwheeling approach to the vault. Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024 In a video of the daring moment, shared on the zoo's X (formerly Twitter) account, the primate can be seen pulling off the escape from his habitat by appearing to cartwheel off the tower's platform to lower himself closer to the ground. Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cartwheel 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cartwheel was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near cartwheel

Cite this Entry

“Cartwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartwheel. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cartwheel

noun
cart·​wheel
ˈkärt-ˌhwēl,
-ˌwēl
1
: a large coin (as a silver dollar)
2
: a sideways handspring with arms and legs extended

More from Merriam-Webster on cartwheel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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