Illustration of wheel
- 1 hub
- 2 spoke
- 3 felly
- 4 tire
plural wheels
1
: a circular frame of hard material that may be solid, partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle
2
: a contrivance or apparatus having as its principal part a wheel: such as
a
: a chiefly medieval instrument of torture designed for mutilating a victim (as by stretching or disjointing)
b
: bicycle
c
: any of many revolving disks or drums used as gambling paraphernalia
d
e
: steering wheel
… drivers are expected to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive …—
Emily Dreibelbis
see also behind the wheel
Emily Dreibelbis3
a
: an imaginary turning wheel symbolizing the inconstancy of fortune
b
: a recurring course, development, or action : cycle
4
: something (such as a round, flat cheese) resembling a wheel in shape
5
a
: a curving or circular movement
b
: a rotation or turn usually about an axis or center
specifically
: a turning movement of troops or ships in line in which the units preserve alignment and relative positions as they change direction
6
a
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
b
: a directing or controlling force
c
: a person of importance especially in an organization
a big wheel
7
: the refrain or burden of a song
8
a
: a circuit of theaters or places of entertainment
b
: a sports league
9
wheels plural, slang
: a wheeled vehicle
especially
: car, automobile
"Man, you got to get yourself some new wheels. When I get to college, I'm gonna get me a white Nissan Sentra …" —Darcy Frey
Darcy Frey 10
wheeled; wheeling; wheels
1
: to turn on or as if on an axis : revolve
2
: to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
the battalion would have wheeled to the flank—Walter Bernstein
Walter Bernsteinher mind will wheel around to the other extreme—Liam O'Flaherty
Liam O'Flahertywheeled to face her opponent
3
: to move or extend in a circle or curve
birds in wheeling flight
valleys where young cotton wheeled slowly in fanlike rows—William Faulkner
William Faulkner1
: to cause to turn on or as if on an axis : rotate
2
: to convey or move on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle
wheeled the patient back to his room
wheeled the car into the driveway
wheel in the experts
3
: to cause to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
4
: to make or perform in a circle or curve
Examples of wheel in a Sentence
Noun
The car's rear wheels started to spin on the icy road.
the wheels of a train
a suitcase with wheels on the bottom
a wheel of cheddar cheese
Verb
Doctors wheeled the patient into the operating room.
He wheeled his motorcycle into the garage.
Our waiter wheeled out a small dessert cart.
She wheeled around in her chair when I entered the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Teel, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
The men informed the fire station crew that a stray cat recently gave birth to five kittens in their garage, and one of the kittens had become stuck in the wheel.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Kwan, who had just reached on a bunt single, wheeled toward third.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wheel
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.
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Noun
Finally, after a holding penalty on Ross erased Morris’ apparent 8-yard touchdown run, Kitchings dialed up a wheel route that isolated running back Xavier Brown on linebacker Elijah Herring.
—David Teel, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
The men informed the fire station crew that a stray cat recently gave birth to five kittens in their garage, and one of the kittens had become stuck in the wheel.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
With the New York defense in disarray, the diminutive magician dinked the ball over the goalkeeper before wheeling away in celebration.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Kwan, who had just reached on a bunt single, wheeled toward third.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wheel
Cite this Entry
“Wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheel. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wheel
1 of 2 noun
ˈhwē(ə)l 
ˈwē(ə)l
1
: a disk or circular frame turning on a central point
2
: a device (as a bicycle or potter's wheel) whose main part is a wheel
3
: something resembling a wheel (as in being round)
a wheel of cheese
4
: a curving or circular movement
5
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
6
: a person of importance
he was a big wheel in town
7
wheeled
adjective
ˈhwē(ə)ld
ˈwē(ə)ld
wheel
2 of 2 verb1
: to turn on or as if on a central point : revolve
2
: to change direction as if turning on a central point
wheeled about to face her opponent
3
: to move in a circle or curve
4
: to carry or move on wheels or in a vehicle
wheel a load into the barn
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