wheelhouse

noun

wheel·​house ˈ(h)wēl-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce wheelhouse (audio)
plural wheelhouses
1
: pilothouse
Looking out at the all-but-empty bay from the wheelhouse of the new 28-foot research boat …Bill Nemitz
He climbed a rickety rope ladder to the ship's deck, then another five flights of stairs to the wheelhouse.Daniel Machalaba
2
: 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.
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
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

Examples of wheelhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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. Send us feedback.
Though he’s used to being invited to VIP gatherings — from fashion shows to meetings with presidents and kings — this seemed outside his wheelhouse. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026 Even with all that in the agency’s wheelhouse, Director Rebecca White isn’t sure a lot of people know much about the PUC. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026 The main deck is also equipped with a new sliding glass door and an electronic hi-low window that separates the dining and living area from the galley and wheelhouse. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2025 Maybe the Ghoul would kill a guy without blinking an eye, but assassination seems less in Cooper’s wheelhouse. Jack King, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wheelhouse

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wheelhouse was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Wheelhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheelhouse. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

wheelhouse

noun
wheel·​house -ˌhau̇s How to pronounce wheelhouse (audio)
1
2
: the place of control or leadership (as in an organization)
3
: an area that matches a person's skills or expertise
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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