wheelhouse
noun
wheel·house
ˈ(h)wēl-ˌhau̇s 
plural wheelhouses
1
: pilothouse
Looking out at the all-but-empty bay from the wheelhouse of the new 28-foot research boat …—
Bill Nemitz
Bill NemitzHe climbed a rickety rope ladder to the ship's deck, then another five flights of stairs to the wheelhouse.—Daniel Machalaba
Daniel Machalaba2
: a place or center of control or leadership (as in an organization)
But while there was momentary calm in the wheelhouse, there was still a real question whether anyone was really in command of the administration's foreign-policy machinery.—David Gelman et al.
David Gelman et al.3
US
a
baseball
: the section of the strike zone where it is easiest for the batter to hit the ball well
The home run came on a 3–2 pitch. [Danny] Graves tried to get Jenkins with a sinker. "It was right in his wheelhouse," Graves said.—John Fay
John Fay
b
: an area that matches a person's skills or expertise
… he was right in his wheelhouse—politics is where [Stephen] Colbert soars.—Adam Chitwood
Adam ChitwoodExamples of wheelhouse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Hollar, who had served as Cardinal’s CFO since May 2020 and previously been CFO of Tenneco, Inc., management’s bold emphasis on value creation might have been something to be expected within the wheelhouse of a veteran CFO ’s repertoire.
—Jack Sweeney, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
An Olivia Rodrigo show is squarely in the Julie wheelhouse.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024
For her performance at the 2024 Oscars, Billie Eilish opted for a look right in her wheelhouse.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
The first: Numerous contests are in states with demographic profiles decidedly unfavorable to Haley but right in Donald Trump’s white, working-class wheelhouse — such as Alabama and Oklahoma.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
This story of perseverance, suffering and salvation through physical challenges is right in Wahlberg’s current wheelhouse.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
There’s little use eyeing an entry into a cutthroat new sector when staying ahead in your actual wheelhouse requires a ton of focus.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024
Higher still, the bridge deck is outfitted with a wheelhouse, a captain’s cabin, and a cinema.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024
Still, individuals usually rely on a robust wheelhouse of interventions to support their functioning.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Jack Sweeney, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
An Olivia Rodrigo show is squarely in the Julie wheelhouse.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024
For her performance at the 2024 Oscars, Billie Eilish opted for a look right in her wheelhouse.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
The first: Numerous contests are in states with demographic profiles decidedly unfavorable to Haley but right in Donald Trump’s white, working-class wheelhouse — such as Alabama and Oklahoma.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
This story of perseverance, suffering and salvation through physical challenges is right in Wahlberg’s current wheelhouse.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
There’s little use eyeing an entry into a cutthroat new sector when staying ahead in your actual wheelhouse requires a ton of focus.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024
Higher still, the bridge deck is outfitted with a wheelhouse, a captain’s cabin, and a cinema.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024
Still, individuals usually rely on a robust wheelhouse of interventions to support their functioning.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wheelhouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Wheelhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheelhouse. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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wheelhouse
noun
wheel·house
-ˌhau̇s
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