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Definition of wheelbarrow

wheelbarrow

/ˈwiːlˌbæroʊ/
wheel · bar · row
Plural:wheelbarrows
•
Past Simple:wheelbarrowed
•
Past Participle:wheelbarrowed
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Present Participle:wheelbarrowing
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wheelbarrow Lexical Profile

wheelbarrow Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small hand-propelled vehicle, usually with just one wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles at the rear, primarily used for carrying loads in gardening or construction.

Example

"The gardener loaded the wheelbarrow with fresh soil and pushed it over to the raised flower beds."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for wheelbarrow

• verb

1

To transport or convey items in a wheelbarrow.

Example

"We had to wheelbarrow the cement up the steep driveway because the truck couldn't fit through the gate."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for wheelbarrow

• Nearby Words

whee
wheedle
wheel
wheelbarrow
wheelbase
wheelchair
wheeled

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'whelwebarowe' or 'whelebarowe' (dating back to the 14th century), formed by combining 'wheel' and 'barrow', which originally referred to a hand-held carrying frame that required two people.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wheelbarrow. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wheelbarrow
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