horseshoe

noun

horse·​shoe ˈhȯrs-ˌshü How to pronounce horseshoe (audio)
ˈhȯrsh-
1
: a usually U-shaped band of iron fitted and nailed to the rim of a horse's hoof to protect it
2
: something (such as a valley) shaped like a horseshoe
3
horseshoes plural : a game like quoits played with horseshoes or with horseshoe-shaped pieces of metal
horseshoe transitive verb
horseshoer noun

Examples of horseshoe in a Sentence

The lake was a horseshoe surrounded by tall pine trees.
Recent Examples on the Web Queen Camilla arrived solo at the track on Wednesday, sporting a horseshoe brooch for the race day. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 There are 10 miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails to explore, plus resort sports like croquet, corn hole, bocce, horseshoes, and tennis (with equipment included!). Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2024 The 49-home property has an intimate feel, with homes in a horseshoe around the common area that extends to the tip of the lake and its dock. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2023 Anton’s college artwork is displayed on an open shelf, and a good luck horseshoe hangs above the back door. Andrea Darr; Photos By Judy Revenaugh, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 There’s a horseshoe pitch on one side of the fog signal building. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 Pro hairstylist Joey George brought the latter to life literally by creating a horseshoe shape along the forehead, tied into place with an elastic cord, and sprayed with a generous amount of Kevin. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 Visitors to the park also may enjoy picnicking, archery, horseshoes, disc golf and volleyball. Lisa Thorn, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024 The ranch will offer a full calendar of activities for guests, including yard games like bocce and horseshoes, stargazing outings, wine tastings, and nightly fireside s'mores. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'horseshoe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of horseshoe was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near horseshoe

Cite this Entry

“Horseshoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horseshoe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

horseshoe

noun
horse·​shoe ˈhȯrs-ˌshü How to pronounce horseshoe (audio)
ˈhȯrsh-
1
: a usually U-shaped band of iron shaped and nailed to the rim of a horse's hoof
2
: something shaped like a horseshoe
3
plural : a game in which horseshoes are tossed at a stake in the ground
horseshoe verb
horseshoer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on horseshoe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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