ledge

noun

ˈlej 

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

ledgy

ˈle-jē 

adjective

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

Wayne had bagged a good ram about 3 o’clock that after noon, then had worked until dark lowering the ram down a series of cliffs and ledges on the north end of Bennett Mountain. —Tim Kelly, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025

The Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice actress talked Myers off a ledge and coached her through what is inevitably a flawless performance. —Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025

The body of Grant Gardner, 38, was found underneath a ledge near the summit of the 13,000-foot Cloud Peak by a professional climbing team from North Carolina, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Chandeliers, tops of windows and cabinets, and ledges are all likely going to be out of reach for your house cleaning team to safely reach. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English legge bar of a gate

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ledge

• dredge
• edge
• hedge
• pledge
• sedge
• sledge
• wedge
• allege
• straightedge

Kids Definition

ledge

noun

ˈlej 

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