plural walls
1
a
: a high thick masonry structure forming a long rampart or an enclosure chiefly for defense
—often used in plural
b
: a masonry fence around a garden, park, or estate
c
: a structure that serves to hold back pressure (as of water or sliding earth)
2
: one of the sides of a room or building connecting floor and ceiling or foundation and roof
3
: the side of a footpath next to buildings
4
: an extreme or desperate position or a state of defeat, failure, or ruin
The surrounded troops had their backs against the wall.
5
: a material layer enclosing space
the wall of a container
heart walls
6
: something resembling a wall (as in appearance, function, or effect)
especially
: something that acts as a barrier or defense
a wall of reserve
tariff wall
walled; walling; walls
1
a
: to provide, cover with, or surround with or as if with a wall
wall in the garden
b
: to separate by or as if by a wall
walled off half the house
2
a
: immure
walled the monster up within the tomb—
E. A. Poe
E. A. Poe
b
: to close (an opening) with or as if with a wall
walled; walling; walls
of the eyes
: to roll in a dramatic manner
: to roll (one's eyes) in a dramatic manner
Synonyms
Examples of wall in a Sentence
Noun
A stone wall marks off their property.
the Great Wall of China
the walls of the ancient city
She hung posters on the walls of her room.
This apartment building has thin walls, and you can hear everything your neighbors say.
Muscles in the abdominal wall help protect organs.
Recent Examples on the WebThe Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024
On a wall behind him, liquor bottles line the shelves.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
After that day's math lesson, each student had to write one addition problem and put it on the wall.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Nearby, what was supposedly the world’s biggest silver fork was mounted on a wall.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Greene was killed by 12 entry wounds, but there are no bullets or bullet fragments in his body and no bullet holes in the walls.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
In recent days, the government has signaled its intentions to tear down buildings, north of the international airport’s wall.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2024
The wall was previously emblazoned with the school’s former mascot, the Miners.
—Lezlie Sterling, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
Modera Neptune’s hotel and apartments will be in separate buildings sharing a common wall.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024
Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024
The gardens feature mostly native and drought-tolerant plantings, ideal for the often arid Southern California climate, and naturally the entire property is walled and gated for privacy and security.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Under its founding agreement, OpenAI would also make its code open to the public instead of walling it off for any private company’s gains, the lawsuit says.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Enter the electric spin scrubber, which is designed to effortlessly remove grime, dirt, and stains from hard-to-reach places in the tub and on the shower walls thanks to its long handle and fast-moving bristles.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Experts say overtime this changing landscape could lead to a dilemma: save the state’s iconic beaches or wall them off to protect the cliffside homes.
—Liz Kreutz, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024
William Workman installed a cemetery east of the family house in the present City of Industry, walled it in brick and fenced it in iron rails.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Becton attempted to recuse her office from the prosecution but the California Attorney General passed it back to the Contra Costa DA’s Office, after telling Becton to simply wall herself off from the case, multiple law enforcement sources said.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
Birney, who studied literature and taught poetry, walled himself in with books.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Nov. 2023
Noun
After a sound barrier wall erected by the company in 2021 failed to ease residents’ complaints, Newport and the Campbell County Attorney's Office started pursuing misdemeanor noise charges.
—The Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024
On a wall behind him, liquor bottles line the shelves.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
After that day's math lesson, each student had to write one addition problem and put it on the wall.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Nearby, what was supposedly the world’s biggest silver fork was mounted on a wall.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Greene was killed by 12 entry wounds, but there are no bullets or bullet fragments in his body and no bullet holes in the walls.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
In recent days, the government has signaled its intentions to tear down buildings, north of the international airport’s wall.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2024
The wall was previously emblazoned with the school’s former mascot, the Miners.
—Lezlie Sterling, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
Modera Neptune’s hotel and apartments will be in separate buildings sharing a common wall.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024
Verb
There were barely enough rooms for patients, who resorted to walling themselves off by hanging sheets or blankets from the drop ceiling for privacy.
—Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024
The gardens feature mostly native and drought-tolerant plantings, ideal for the often arid Southern California climate, and naturally the entire property is walled and gated for privacy and security.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Under its founding agreement, OpenAI would also make its code open to the public instead of walling it off for any private company’s gains, the lawsuit says.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Enter the electric spin scrubber, which is designed to effortlessly remove grime, dirt, and stains from hard-to-reach places in the tub and on the shower walls thanks to its long handle and fast-moving bristles.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Experts say overtime this changing landscape could lead to a dilemma: save the state’s iconic beaches or wall them off to protect the cliffside homes.
—Liz Kreutz, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024
William Workman installed a cemetery east of the family house in the present City of Industry, walled it in brick and fenced it in iron rails.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Becton attempted to recuse her office from the prosecution but the California Attorney General passed it back to the Contra Costa DA’s Office, after telling Becton to simply wall herself off from the case, multiple law enforcement sources said.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
Birney, who studied literature and taught poetry, walled himself in with books.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English weall; akin to Middle High German wall; both from Latin vallum rampart, from vallus stake, palisade; perhaps akin to Old Norse vǫlr staff — more at wale
Verb (2)
Middle English (Scots) wawlen, probably from Middle English wawil- (in wawil-eghed walleyed)
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of wall was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing wall
Articles Related to wall
Dictionary Entries Near wall
Cite this Entry
“Wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wall. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
wall
1 of 2 noun1
: a structure (as of brick or stone) meant to enclose or shut off a space
especially
: a side of a room or building
2
: something resembling a wall
especially
: something that acts as a barrier or defense
a tariff wall
3
: a layer of material that encloses space
the heart wall
the walls of a container
walled
adjective
ˈwȯld
wall
2 of 2 verb1
: to provide, separate, or surround with or as if with a wall
wall in the garden
2
: to close off an opening with or as if with a wall
wall up a door
More from Merriam-Webster on wall
Nglish: Translation of wall for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of wall for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wall
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