wheelhouse
noun
wheel·house
ˈ(h)wēl-ˌhau̇s 
plural wheelhouses
1
: pilothouse
Looking out at the all-but-empty bay from the wheelhouse of the new 28-foot research boat …—
Bill Nemitz
Bill NemitzHe climbed a rickety rope ladder to the ship's deck, then another five flights of stairs to the wheelhouse.—Daniel Machalaba
Daniel Machalaba2
: a place or center of control or leadership (as in an organization)
But while there was momentary calm in the wheelhouse, there was still a real question whether anyone was really in command of the administration's foreign-policy machinery.—David Gelman et al.
David Gelman et al.3
US
a
baseball
: the section of the strike zone where it is easiest for the batter to hit the ball well
The home run came on a 3–2 pitch. [Danny] Graves tried to get Jenkins with a sinker. "It was right in his wheelhouse," Graves said.—John Fay
John Fay
b
: an area that matches a person's skills or expertise
… he was right in his wheelhouse—politics is where [Stephen] Colbert soars.—Adam Chitwood
Adam ChitwoodExamples of wheelhouse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Boylan, who was a licensed captain for 34 years, failed to appoint an overnight roving watch on the night of the fire — ignoring the Certificate of Inspection requirements that were hanging in his wheelhouse — and did not institute adequate fire safety drills.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In Wacksman’s view, most people would benefit more from taking unexpected jobs or out-of-wheelhouse projects, rather than tying themselves to a strict, linear career path and never deviating.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
Finally, both Duncan and JoAnne are played by performers working well within their wheelhouse.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Two additional guest cabins, the captain’s cabin, and the wheelhouse can also be found on this deck, along with a touch-and-go helipad and sport deck.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wheelhouse
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Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In Wacksman’s view, most people would benefit more from taking unexpected jobs or out-of-wheelhouse projects, rather than tying themselves to a strict, linear career path and never deviating.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
Finally, both Duncan and JoAnne are played by performers working well within their wheelhouse.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Two additional guest cabins, the captain’s cabin, and the wheelhouse can also be found on this deck, along with a touch-and-go helipad and sport deck.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wheelhouse
Cite this Entry
“Wheelhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheelhouse. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wheelhouse
noun
wheel·house
-ˌhau̇s
1
2
: the place of control or leadership (as in an organization)
3
: an area that matches a person's skills or expertise
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