shoehorning

present participle of shoehorn
as in cramming
to fit (people or things) into a tight space the organizers of the county fair shoehorned the craft booths between the midway and the farm exhibits

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shoehorning No longer shoehorning into skates never made for her, the next version of someone else’s ideal. Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoehorning
Verb
  • An early 2022 op-ed in the University of Calgary’s student newspaper described the idea as the antithesis of hustle culture, one that finds satisfaction in mundane tasks rather than cramming productivity into every waking moment.
    Allison Palmer July 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • This is an impressive chip, cramming nearly 100 billion transistors onto a piece of silicon roughly the size of a fingernail.
    John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Planning a Broadway show night in New York City means squeezing a full day into the blocks around Times Square, and the right pre-Broadway show itinerary can turn a two-hour ticket into a memorable outing.
    Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • The result is a new generation of patients planning trips around treatments rather than squeezing appointments into an existing vacation.
    Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Riyadh has been diverting about four million barrels a day of crude oil from their east-west pipeline over to Yanbu, loading tankers, many of which are going out the Red Sea, data provided by Lipow showed.
    Lee Ying Shan,Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • Add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to the washer drum or the automatic bleach dispenser before loading white clothes into the washer.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • Which West team has the best chance of wedging its way into the OKC-San Antonio tier?
    The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • The Cook County medical examiner’s office found that the fatal shot pierced Rivera’s skin near her left armpit and traveled through both her lungs, wedging itself in her ribs, autopsy records show.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shoehorning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoehorning. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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