# third wheel

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/third-wheel
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An individual or object that serves no useful purpose.

## Examples

- I feel like a third wheel when I go out with them.
- They invited me to dinner, but I felt like a third wheel while they talked about their vacation.
- Although he was invited to join his friends for the evening, he felt like a third wheel throughout the night as they focused entirely on each other.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.