: a piece of a substance (such as wood or iron) that tapers to a thin edge and is used for splitting wood and rocks, raising heavy bodies, or for tightening by being driven into something
2
a
: something (such as a policy) causing a breach or separation
b
: something used to initiate an action or development
3
: something wedge-shaped: such as
a
: an array of troops or tanks in the form of a wedge
b
: the wedge-shaped stroke in cuneiform characters
c
: a shoe having a heel extending from the back of the shoe to the front of the shank and a tread formed by an extension of the sole
d
: an iron golf club with a broad low-angled face for maximum loft
Noun
He used a wedge to split the firewood.
A wedge held the door open.
The battalion formed a wedge and marched toward the enemy. Verb
She wedged her foot into the crack.
The dog got wedged between the couch and the end table.
I wedged myself into the car's back seat.
She wedged the door open.
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Noun
The chemistry between the two young lovers is undeniable, but the wedges that eventually drive them apart are present from the beginning.—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025 The issue has become perhaps the most significant wedge between congressional Republicans and the president.—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The store is wedged between 63rd Street West and 66th Street West off Cortez Road West.—Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025 With the confidence of someone who knows that he is well loved, the 145-pound dog wedges himself right between his two owners, sprawling out and enjoying a cuddle.—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wedge
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English wegge, from Old English wecg; akin to Old High German wecki wedge, Lithuanian vagis
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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