: a piece of a substance (such as wood or iron) that tapers to a thin edge and is used for splitting wood and rocks, raising heavy bodies, or for tightening by being driven into something
2
a
: something (such as a policy) causing a breach or separation
b
: something used to initiate an action or development
3
: something wedge-shaped: such as
a
: an array of troops or tanks in the form of a wedge
b
: the wedge-shaped stroke in cuneiform characters
c
: a shoe having a heel extending from the back of the shoe to the front of the shank and a tread formed by an extension of the sole
d
: an iron golf club with a broad low-angled face for maximum loft
Noun
He used a wedge to split the firewood.
A wedge held the door open.
The battalion formed a wedge and marched toward the enemy. Verb
She wedged her foot into the crack.
The dog got wedged between the couch and the end table.
I wedged myself into the car's back seat.
She wedged the door open.
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Noun
He is known for his skillful wedge game and a booming drive, but at Memorial Park, his whole game coalesced perfectly.—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025 The origami folder features a hard-sided wedge form sheltering a full-size bed inside.—New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
The air fryer, which her husband placed, was awkwardly wedged into a strip of counter between the stove and the refrigerator.—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 Photo : Gabriel Zimmer/Catskill Image The home cantilevers overs a brick base that’s wedged into the sloping landscape.—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wedge
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English wegge, from Old English wecg; akin to Old High German wecki wedge, Lithuanian vagis
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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