wheel

1 of 2

noun

ˈ(h)wēl 

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

: potter's wheel

e

: steering wheel

… drivers are expected to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive …

—Emily Dreibelbis

see also behind the wheel

3

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

10

wheels plural, slang : legs

wheelless

ˈ(h)wēl-ləs 

adjective

Illustration of wheel

• 1 hub
• 2 spoke
• 3 felly
• 4 tire

wheel

2 of 2

verb

wheeled; wheeling; wheels

intransitive verb

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

her mind will wheel around to the other extreme

—Liam O'Flaherty

wheeled 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

4

: to travel on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle

transitive verb

1

: 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

Phrases

wheel and deal

: to make deals or do business especially shrewdly or briskly

Synonyms

Noun

• gyration
• pirouette
• reel
• revolution
• roll
• rotation
• spin
• twirl
• whirl

Verb

• deflect
• divert
• redirect
• swing
• turn
• veer
• whip

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

Noun

Photograph: Santiago Urquijo/Getty Images Air travel has entered an especially fraught place in the public consciousness lately, mostly due to a recent spate of incidents in which Boeing planes have caught fire, lost a wheel during takeoff, or sprung a hole mid-flight. —Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 26 Apr. 2024

Now the southern wing houses a bar and restaurant tricked out in Art Deco shades of green and gold; the bar is illuminated by pendant lamps that resemble train wheels. —Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hweogol, hwēol; akin to Old Norse hvēl wheel, Greek kyklos circle, wheel, Skt cakra, Latin colere to cultivate, inhabit, Sanskrit carati he moves, wanders

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing wheel

• all-wheel
• all-wheel drive
• a/the squeaky wheel gets the grease/oil
• at the wheel
• balance wheel
• behind the wheel
• big wheel
• buffing wheel
• cam wheel
• Catherine wheel
• color wheel
• daisy wheel
• Ferris wheel
• fifth wheel
• four-wheel
• four-wheel drive
• front-wheel drive
• get behind the wheel
• idler wheel
• mill wheel
• paddle wheel
• planet wheel
• potter's wheel
• prayer wheel
• rear-wheel drive
• reinvent the wheel
• side-wheel
• spinning wheel
• steering wheel
• take the wheel
• tracing wheel
• wheel and axle
• wheel and deal
• wheel animal
• wheel bug
• wheel clamp
• wheel lock
• wheel-thrown
• worm wheel

Kids 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

plural, slang : automobile

he borrowed my wheels for an upcoming date

wheeled

ˈhwē(ə)ld

ˈwē(ə)ld

adjective

wheel

2 of 2 verb

1

: 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