noun
wheelie
WEE-lee
Wheelie (noun) means a stunt in which a bicycle or motorcycle is ridden balanced only on its rear wheel. Example: “He popped a wheelie right in front of his friends.”
noun
1
A stunt in which a bicycle or motorcycle is ridden balanced only on its rear wheel.
"Jim fell off his bike when he was trying to do a wheelie."
"The bikers pop wheelies and execute speedy figure eights along the busy street. Still, something more purposeful than joyriding would seem to be on their minds."
— Robert Draper (2018)
"He popped a wheelie right in front of his friends."
verb
1
To ride a vehicle balanced on its rear wheel(s) only.
"I guess I was starting to feel super-confident, a bit like the wheelchair basketball guy who had wheelied out of my hospital room that day. Plus, I was trying to make it so I could laugh in the face of my injuries."
— Jason Morgan, Damien Lewis (2016)
"She learned to wheelie on her BMX bike over the summer."
How to use wheelie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe trick of riding on the back wheel alone, popular with cyclists and motorcyclists.
Common pairings
pop a wheelie
do a wheelie
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Word forms
- Plural
- wheelies
- Third person singular
- wheelies
- Past tense
- wheelied
Fill the gap
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He popped a _____ right in front of his friends.
Etymology
Formed from "wheel" plus the informal "-ie" ending, common in casual nicknames for actions and objects.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for wheelie
See all rhymes for wheelie →Frequently asked questions
What does “wheelie” mean?
The word “wheelie” means a stunt in which a bicycle or motorcycle is ridden balanced only on its rear wheel. In plain terms, the trick of riding on the back wheel alone, popular with cyclists and motorcyclists.
How do you pronounce “wheelie”?
“Wheelie” is pronounced WEE-lee (/ˈ(h)wili/ in IPA).
How do you use “wheelie” in a sentence?
Here is “wheelie” used in a sentence: “He popped a wheelie right in front of his friends.”
What part of speech is “wheelie”?
Depending on how it is used, “wheelie” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “wheelie” have?
“Wheelie” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a stunt in which a bicycle or motorcycle is ridden balanced only on its rear wheel.
