wheelchair

noun

wheel·​chair ˈ(h)wēl-ˌcher 

: a chair mounted on wheels especially for the use of disabled persons

Examples of wheelchair in a Sentence

He was in a wheelchair for several months after the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

Daou’s husband, Alain – who is also disabled and uses a wheelchair – removed the item’s tags and stayed behind to pay for it. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026

City officials said a wheelchair-accessible shuttle will run continuously, transporting visitors from the bottom of the steps to the top and back down. —Ross Dimattei, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026

Guy Fieri is giving fans a health update after a scary fall in November left him in a wheelchair. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026

The celebrity chef, 57, spoke with PEOPLE about his upcoming Super Bowl tailgate, Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate Presented by SpotOn, and gave an update on his health following a scary fall that’s left him in a wheelchair the past eight weeks. —Emily Rella, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1684, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing wheelchair

• wheelchair ramp

Rhymes for wheelchair

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

wheelchair

noun

wheel·​chair -ˌche(ə)r 

-ˌcha(ə)r

: a chair with wheels used especially by sick, injured, or disabled people to get about

Medical Definition

wheelchair

noun

wheel·​chair ˈhwē(ə)l-ˌche(ə)r, ˈwē(ə)l-, -ˌcha(ə)r 

: a chair mounted on wheels especially for the use of disabled individuals