1
: a raised or projecting edge or molding intended to protect or check
a window ledge
2
: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore
3
a
: a narrow flat surface or shelf
especially : one that projects from a wall of rock
We rappelled down the cliff and reached the ledge.
b
: rock that is solid or continuous enough to form ledges : bedrock
the field was full of ledge
4
: lode, vein

Examples of ledge in a Sentence

birds perched on the ledge of a building a ledge on the side of the mountain
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Roadster clung to the surface, hanging upside-down from the ledge like a gecko on a ceiling thanks to a special fan suction system on its chassis. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 In a separate photo, Duff posed in a light blue two-piece swimsuit while sitting on a stone ledge surrounded by greenery, her skin covered in what appeared to be a mud treatment. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 The highlight is a 25-foot waterfall that flows over a sandstone ledge into a pool. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 Skoloda climbed to a ledge directly above where the Honda had come to rest. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ledge

Word History

Etymology

Middle English legge bar of a gate

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ledge was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ledge. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a projecting ridge or raised edge along a surface
2
: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore
3
: a narrow flat surface or shelf
especially : one that sticks out from a wall of rock
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