Meaning & use
third wheeling
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableinformal
The awkward experience of being the extra person who tags along with two others who are a couple.
Grammar: Usually used as an uncountable noun: third wheeling can be awkward.
Patterns
- stop third wheeling
- tired of third wheeling
I am tired of third wheeling every time my friends go to dinner.
Third wheeling at the cinema is not much fun.
He spent the whole weekend third wheeling on their trip.
verbintransitiveinformal
Being the extra person who joins a couple, so that you feel left out.
Grammar: -ing form of third-wheel; no object: she is third wheeling tonight.
Patterns
- be third wheeling
- go third wheeling
I am not going to the party and third wheeling all night.
Are you third wheeling again with your sister and her boyfriend?
They invited me along, but I did not want to feel like I was third wheeling.
Word forms
| base form | third-wheel |
|---|---|
| third person singular | third-wheels |
| past tense | third-wheeled |
| -ing form | third-wheeling |
Common combinations
- stop third wheeling
- Come with us so you can stop third wheeling at home.
- feel like third wheeling
- I felt like third wheeling at their anniversary dinner.
- third wheeling on a date
- Third wheeling on a date is never comfortable.
- no one likes third wheeling
- No one likes third wheeling, so invite another friend.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tagging along
- Tagging along is neutral and just means going with others, whereas third wheeling stresses being the unwanted extra person in a couple.
- gooseberrying
- Gooseberrying is a British informal term with the same meaning, but is less common than third wheeling.
- intruding
- Intruding is stronger and says you are not welcome, while third wheeling usually describes a mild awkward feeling.
- being a fifth wheel
- Being a fifth wheel can mean any unnecessary person in a group, not only with a couple.
Opposites
Word family
- third wheel noun
- the extra person with a couple
- third-wheel verb
- to be that extra person
- third-wheeler noun
- a person who does this
- wheel noun
- a round part that turns
Commonly confused: third wheeling or fifth wheel?
third wheeling vs fifth wheel
A fifth wheel is any unnecessary part or person, but a third wheel is specifically the extra person with a pair.
Practice
My two friends are on a date, and I tagged along, so now I feel like I am ______.
Choose one answer.
Third wheeling means being the extra person with a couple. Double dating would require another couple, so it does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “third wheeling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.