Illustration of wheel
- 1 hub
- 2 spoke
- 3 felly
- 4 tire
plural wheels
1
: a circular frame of hard material that may be solid, partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle
2
: a contrivance or apparatus having as its principal part a wheel: such as
a
: a chiefly medieval instrument of torture designed for mutilating a victim (as by stretching or disjointing)
b
: bicycle
c
: any of many revolving disks or drums used as gambling paraphernalia
d
e
: steering wheel
… drivers are expected to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive …—
Emily Dreibelbis
see also behind the wheel
Emily Dreibelbis3
a
: an imaginary turning wheel symbolizing the inconstancy of fortune
b
: a recurring course, development, or action : cycle
4
: something (such as a round, flat cheese) resembling a wheel in shape
5
a
: a curving or circular movement
b
: a rotation or turn usually about an axis or center
specifically
: a turning movement of troops or ships in line in which the units preserve alignment and relative positions as they change direction
6
a
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
b
: a directing or controlling force
c
: a person of importance especially in an organization
a big wheel
7
: the refrain or burden of a song
8
a
: a circuit of theaters or places of entertainment
b
: a sports league
9
wheels plural, slang
: a wheeled vehicle
especially
: car, automobile
"Man, you got to get yourself some new wheels. When I get to college, I'm gonna get me a white Nissan Sentra …" —Darcy Frey
Darcy Frey 10
wheeled; wheeling; wheels
1
: to turn on or as if on an axis : revolve
2
: to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
… the battalion would have wheeled to the flank …—Walter Bernstein
Walter Bernsteinher mind will wheel around to the other extreme—Liam O'Flaherty
Liam O'Flahertywheeled to face her opponent
3
: to move or extend in a circle or curve
birds in wheeling flight
valleys where young cotton wheeled slowly in fanlike rows—William Faulkner
William Faulkner1
: to cause to turn on or as if on an axis : rotate
2
: to convey or move on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle
wheeled the patient back to his room
wheeled the car into the driveway
wheel in the experts
3
: to cause to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
4
: to make or perform in a circle or curve
see also:
Examples of wheel in a Sentence
Noun
The car's rear wheels started to spin on the icy road.
the wheels of a train
a suitcase with wheels on the bottom
a wheel of cheddar cheese
Verb
Doctors wheeled the patient into the operating room.
He wheeled his motorcycle into the garage.
Our waiter wheeled out a small dessert cart.
She wheeled around in her chair when I entered the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Miura prefers lighter chairs with a small backrest; Tahara highlighted the benefits of chairs with adjustable seat heights, large wheels and shorter stems.
—Trista Kurniawan, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The trio rebuild the tower and Guerrero goes up again, pulling the line for about four minutes more before the group takes down the tower, wheels the cart away from the window and walks away.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wheel
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.
Noun
There's something melodic about watching the sun rise over a rural stillness broken only by the rhythms of steel wheels on tracks.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Miura prefers lighter chairs with a small backrest; Tahara highlighted the benefits of chairs with adjustable seat heights, large wheels and shorter stems.
—Trista Kurniawan, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
One provider recommended a different formula, but Laura responded that her son was burning calories by kicking in his bed, crawling and wheeling around in his wheelchair.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The trio rebuild the tower and Guerrero goes up again, pulling the line for about four minutes more before the group takes down the tower, wheels the cart away from the window and walks away.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wheel
Cite this Entry
“Wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheel. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wheel
1 of 2 noun
ˈhwē(ə)l 
ˈwē(ə)l
1
: a disk or circular frame turning on a central point
2
: a device (as a bicycle or potter's wheel) whose main part is a wheel
3
: something resembling a wheel (as in being round)
a wheel of cheese
4
: a curving or circular movement
5
: a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
the wheels of government
6
: a person of importance
he was a big wheel in town
7
wheeled
adjective
ˈhwē(ə)ld,
ˈwē(ə)ld
wheel
2 of 2 verb1
: to turn on or as if on a central point : revolve
2
: to change direction as if turning on a central point
wheeled about to face her opponent
3
: to move in a circle or curve
4
: to carry or move on wheels or in a vehicle
wheel a load into the barn
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
