Thesaurus results for SHOEHORNING

shoehorning

verb

present participle of shoehorn

as in cramming

to fit (people or things) into a tight space the organizers of the county fair shoehorned the craft booths between the midway and the farm exhibits

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of shoehorning No longer shoehorning into skates never made for her, the next version of someone else’s ideal. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoehorning

Verb

The actress was surprised when, in her estimation, Jacobs was cramming more Boy Meets World into the follow-up show than she had been led to believe.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
The roommates’ incompatible goals and perennial brokeness lead to side-splitting conflicts, with Shelby cramming for her GED while Kaitlin’s greatest ambition is to throw an epic island party.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of cramming

Verb

In the distance, a toddler in a matching Nike outfit literally leaped into the arms of a crying woman, perhaps a grandmother, squeezing tightly for a hug.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
The floods will likely change that outlook, squeezing a country that’s heavily dependent on tourism while forcing a costly period of reconstruction.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of squeezing

Verb

Writer Cassie Hurwitz tracked down the best moving companies, professional packers, and tips for loading everything into your new home.

— Cassie Hurwitz, Curbed, 25 Aug. 2026
After loading the AliExpress homepage, audio from his phone stopped playing over his multipoint headphones, which accept connections from more than one device at a time.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of loading

Verb

Which West team has the best chance of wedging its way into the OKC-San Antonio tier?

— The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The Cook County medical examiner’s office found that the fatal shot pierced Rivera’s skin near her left armpit and traveled through both her lungs, wedging itself in her ribs, autopsy records show.

— Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

Definition of wedging

Browse Nearby Words

shoehorned

shoehorning

shoehorns

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“Shoehorning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoehorning. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shoehorning

verb

Example Sentences

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