cartwheel

1 of 2

noun

cart·​wheel ˈkärt-ˌ(h)wēl How to pronounce cartwheel (audio)
1
: a large coin (such as a silver dollar)
2
: a lateral handspring with arms and legs extended

cartwheel

2 of 2

verb

cartwheeled; cartwheeling; cartwheels

intransitive verb

: to move like a turning wheel
specifically : to perform cartwheels
cartwheeler noun

Examples of cartwheel in a Sentence

Noun The children turned cartwheels and somersaults on the grass. Verb She cartwheeled across the floor. The car hit the pole and then cartwheeled across the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Tests on Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and Boston Dynamics’ Spot showed the robots could perform crawling, cartwheels, handstands, soccer kicks and other complex movements across different robotic body types. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 The show takes its name from one of the most infamous narratives to emerge during the investigation into Kercher's death, which claimed that Knox performed cartwheels at an Italian police station. — Usa Today, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
The launch attempt from a site in Norway follows the initial flight of the Spectrum rocket about a year ago, during which the rocket cartwheeled upside-down and fell a short distance from its Arctic launch pad. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026 But there’s also something keeping the premise from cartwheeling into transcendence. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cartwheel

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cartwheel was in 1855

Phrases Containing cartwheel

Rhymes for cartwheel

See All Rhymes for cartwheel

Browse Nearby Words

cartway
cartwheel
cartwheel flower
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cartwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartwheel. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cartwheel

noun
cart·​wheel
ˈkärt-ˌhwēl, 
-ˌwēl
1
: a large coin (as a silver dollar)
2
: a sideways handspring with arms and legs extended

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