Example Sentences
Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 16 June 2023
Burbling around town, the merest blip of the throttle pedal unleashes beastly bravado.
—Jeremy Taylor, Robb Report, 11 June 2023
In the week leading up to the IHSAA regional boys track meet at Lawrence Central, Jasiah Rogers made a slight adjustment to the angle of the pedals on his starting blocks.
—The Indianapolis Star, 26 May 2023
The colors of the pedals are matched to the color of the tree’s bark or flowers.
—Josh Chesler, SPIN, 10 May 2023
Freewheeling e-bikes aren't very common, but a few manufacturers offer bikes with both a clip-in option and a toe cage for regular sneakers on the other side of the pedal.
—Corey Gaskin, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2023
Other than the usual suspects like Jimi and such, is there something personally that led you to use your guitar, amps or pedals in such a way that emphasized finding a distinct sound?
—Alessandro Corona, The Enquirer, 9 June 2023
Note that the kickstand (in between the pedal and seat post at bottom) keeps everything but the wheels off the ground, even when folded.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 May 2023
The image doesn't reveal much, simply showing the three pedals that will reside in the 2024 Tacoma's footwell.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 2 May 2023
WIRED, 21 June 2023
Keep your arms ready to reel in with the Perception Showdown, a pedal kayak that’s packed from bow to stern with fishing-friendly features.
—Chantae Reden, Popular Mechanics, 31 May 2023
This family-friendly fair showcases traditional 4-H competitions as well as a petting zoo, square dance, pedal tractor pull, carnival rides on the midway and more.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 14 June 2023
Pedal It Forward collects used bikes, fixes them, then distributes to those in need through its more than 60 pedal partners.
—Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2023
That’s what led me to take a deeper dive into the pedal market as a whole.
—Josh Chesler, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2023
The recall was announced on the back of 120 reports of pedal breakages and sixteen reports of injuries.
—Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 12 May 2023
The shift linkage is light and generally accurate (except for reverse), and the pedal placements have been improved, easing heel-and-toe effort.
—Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 18 Apr. 2023
While most guitar effects pedal companies are either trying to appeal to customers with some combination of nostalgia/familiarity and/or edgy/modern/rock ‘n’ roll vibes, Lantern Manufacturing went in a very different direction.
—Josh Chesler, SPIN, 10 May 2023
Katherine Martinko, Treehugger, 14 June 2023
Omar Awadin, age 14, pedaled by on his bicycle, having just completed his last errand of the day.
—Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 26 May 2023
Hop on a Mobi bike share (1 dollar to unlock, then 25 cents per minute) near the aquarium and pedal along the edge of Coal Harbour, with its gleaming glass towers, then under the imposing steel frame of the Lions Gate Bridge, watching for seals in Burrard Inlet.
—Remy Scalza, New York Times, 25 May 2023
And Class 3 would be bikes with an electric motor that provide assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that stops providing assistance when the bike reaches 28 miles per hour.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 3 May 2023
Participants started at Lloyd Center with speakers and then pedaled their way to the Keaton Otis Memorial Art Project, AfroVillage headquarters, the Burnside Bridge and the Golden West Hotel.
—oregonlive, 18 Feb. 2023
Meanwhile, House Republicans have been investigating him for alleged influence pedaling from lucrative business deals in Ukraine, Romania, and China.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023
Surveillance footage from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shows five people on bicycles pedaling through the O’Neill Tunnel Friday, dangerously darting in and out of traffic.
—Kate Armanini, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2023
Amsterdam, Netherlands With July highs around 72 degrees in the Netherlands' capital city, visitors can comfortably partake in quintessentially Amsterdamian things like pedaling between sites on a city bike and cruising the canals by watercraft.
—Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pedal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
Middle French pedale, from Italian, from Latin pedalis, adjective
Adjective
Latin pedalis, from ped-, pes
Noun
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1883, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing pedal
Dictionary Entries Near pedal
Cite this Entry
“Pedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedal. Accessed 9 Jul. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
pedal
1 of 2 noun
pedal
2 of 2 verbNoun
from early French pedale "a foot lever on an organ," from Italian pedale (same meaning), from Latin pedalis "of the foot," from ped-, pes "foot" — related to pedestrian
Medical Definition
pedal
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on pedal
Nglish: Translation of pedal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pedal for Arabic Speakers
-
Palter, Dissemble, and Other Words for Lying
Trust us
-
Skunk, Bayou, and Other Words with Native American Origins
You've used more than you might think
-
Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 2
When 'thingamajig' and 'thingamabob' just won't do
-
When Were Words First Used?
Look up any year to find out
-
Name That Thing MegaQuiz: Vol. 2
Test your visual vocabulary!
Take the quiz
-
Name That Dish!
Some mouth-watering food for thought
Take the quiz
-
Spell It
Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get...
Take the quiz
-
Spelling Bee Quiz
Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...
Take the quiz
Share