as in squeezing
to fit (people or things) into a tight space
managed to wedge one last book onto the bookshelf
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Recent Examples of wedging
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
Water flossers can help remove impacted food from around bridges and wires, places where wedging floss might be uncomfortable or difficult.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 1 Apr. 2026
The Tucson hit both vehicles and an unoccupied NYPD vehicle before finally coming to a stop after slamming into and wedging under an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
As Sundance became a global icon, part of its identity stemmed from wedging this gorilla of a festival into the birdcage of a tiny resort town.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
The couple often kept the window closed by wedging a pole into the window track, records show, but knew that some of the children in the home had learned how to remove it the previous December.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2026
Yet more squatters arrived, wedging homes and alleys into the most improbable gaps.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Video showed federal agents on Tuesday breaking the passenger side window of the car while attempting to stop the female driver, who appeared to be wedging agents between her vehicle and another car blocking the road.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
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
Water flossers can help remove impacted food from around bridges and wires, places where wedging floss might be uncomfortable or difficult.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 1 Apr. 2026
The Tucson hit both vehicles and an unoccupied NYPD vehicle before finally coming to a stop after slamming into and wedging under an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
As Sundance became a global icon, part of its identity stemmed from wedging this gorilla of a festival into the birdcage of a tiny resort town.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
The couple often kept the window closed by wedging a pole into the window track, records show, but knew that some of the children in the home had learned how to remove it the previous December.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2026
Yet more squatters arrived, wedging homes and alleys into the most improbable gaps.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Video showed federal agents on Tuesday breaking the passenger side window of the car while attempting to stop the female driver, who appeared to be wedging agents between her vehicle and another car blocking the road.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wedging
Verb
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Lightweight enough to toss into a carry-on, these slippers still have a durable sole, meaning quick trips to the airplane bathroom or hotel hallway don’t require squeezing back into shoes.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
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Americans are reeling from a cost-of-living crisis that’s squeezing even the biggest earners in the country.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Verb
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At their core, Rush were always about glorious musical excess, routinely cramming more riffs and time signatures into single songs than some bands managed on entire albums.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 June 2026
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The two stayed up late into the night Monday, cramming information on each candidate.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Sandwich had to switch pitchers in the eighth inning, and Hamilton-Wenham responded by loading the bases with no outs.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
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The Mets put pressure on Vasquez by loading the bases with no outs.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Ukraine is also advancing its electronic warfare and jamming capabilities to degrade the effectiveness of Russian drones.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Russia uses jamming technology to divert Ukrainian attack drones considered a threat to its territory.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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That said, Murden is sure to use it on nights when skin feels hydrated—sandwiching the retinal in between a nourishing toner and occlusive face cream for good measure.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
25 May 2026
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Then, a foot or so off the ground, weave string between the plants (around the front of the first plant, then the back of the second plant, and so on), ultimately sandwiching the plants between the taut string.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wedging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wedging. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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