CEFR B2

fifth wheel

noun

Meaning

A person whose presence is unwanted or unnecessary in a social situation, especially when they are with a couple or a group of pairs.

Examples

I felt like a fifth wheel when I joined my friends on their romantic anniversary dinner.
She didn't want to be a fifth wheel, so she decided to stay home instead of joining the two couples.

Synonyms: extra, superfluous, unwanted, third wheel

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fifth wheel (B2)

noun

Pronunciation: ˈfɪfθ wiːl

Definition

A person whose presence is unwanted or unnecessary in a social situation, especially when they are with a couple or a group of pairs.

Examples

I felt like a fifth wheel when I joined my friends on their romantic anniversary dinner.
She didn't want to be a fifth wheel, so she decided to stay home instead of joining the two couples.

How to Use fifth wheel

feel like a fifth wheel (idiom): to experience the sensation of being an unwanted extra person — "She felt like a fifth wheel during the entire dinner."

Synonyms of fifth wheel

Words with a similar meaning to fifth wheel:

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