plural cartwheels
: an athletic movement in which you move sideways by placing one hand and then the other on the ground, lifting your feet into the air, and then landing on one foot and then the other foot
The children turned/did cartwheels and somersaults on the grass.
cartwheels; cartwheeled; cartwheeling
1
: to do a cartwheel
She cartwheeled across the floor.
2
: to spin or turn over in a violent and uncontrolled way
The car hit the pole and then cartwheeled across the road.
Cite this Entry
“Cartwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cartwheel. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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