shoehorn

American  

[shoo-hawrn] / ˈʃuˌhɔrn /

noun

1. a shaped piece of horn, metal, or the like, inserted in the heel of a shoe to make it slip on more easily.

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verb (used with object)

1. to force into a limited or tight space.

   Can you shoehorn four of us into the back seat of your car?

shoehorn British  

/ ˈʃuːˌhɔːn /

noun

1. a smooth curved implement of horn, metal, plastic, etc, inserted at the heel of a shoe to ease the foot into it

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verb

1. (tr) to cram (people or things) into a very small space

Etymology

Origin of shoehorn

First recorded in 1580–90; shoe + horn

Example Sentences

So he was bewildered to find out that men his age have become the subject of ridicule online, mocked for shoehorning their way into styles associated with Gen Z and younger millennials.

From BBC

It is no mean feat to shoehorn a half-millennium of social, political and economic tumult into a single volume.

From The Wall Street Journal

When he joined City in 2022, the club found a hybrid solution, where Haaland was shoehorned into an existing pattern of play.

From The Wall Street Journal

Once the designers abandon their dream of shoehorning functionality into humanoid appearance, the result may actually be useful — for humans.

From Los Angeles Times

We're cheating here by shoehorning two films into one entry, but the Wicked and Avatar sequels have a lot in common.

From BBC

Related Words

• embed
• enter
• fill in
• imbed
• implant
• include
• inject
• introduce
• stick