training wheels

plural noun

: a pair of small wheels connected to the rear axle of a bicycle to help a beginning bicyclist maintain balance

—often used figuratively

… they took off the training wheels and threw 185.2 innings last season.

—Adam Burke

Examples of training wheels in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While many of her Gen Z rap peers utilize a backing track, Cyn doesn’t need the training wheels. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 11 Sep. 2026

The training wheels come off remarkably quickly, for kids old and young. — New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026

The Rams kept the training wheels on him for a majority of the start, with almost every throw going within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, in the past decade, El Ponce has slowly but surely pushed its food and drink forward, gently offering training wheels for Atlanta to explore and find respect for Latin American cuisine and culture at their own pace. — Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for training wheels

• snowmobiles
• abeles
• appeals
• conceals
• flywheels
• ideals
• newsreels
• ordeals
• repeals
• reveals
• automobiles
• beals

Kids Definition

training wheels

plural noun

: a pair of small wheels connected to the rear axle of a bicycle to help a beginning bicyclist keep balance