corner

1 of 3

noun

cor·​ner ˈkȯr-nər 

1

a

: the point where converging lines, edges, or sides meet : angle

b

: the place of intersection of two streets or roads

c

: a piece designed to form, mark, or protect a corner

2

: the angular part or space between meeting lines, edges, or borders near the vertex of the angle

the southwest corner of the state

the corners of the tablecloth

: such as

a

: the area of a playing field or court near the intersection of the sideline and the goal line or baseline

b(1)

sports : any of the angles of a ring (see ring entry 1 sense 4b)

especially : the area in which a participant in a fighting contest (such as a boxing or wrestling match) rests or is worked on by the participant's seconds during periods between rounds

(2)

: a group of supporters, well-wishers, or adherents associated especially with a contestant

c

: the side of home plate nearest to or farthest from a batter

d

: corner kick

e(1)

: the outside of a football formation

(2)

: cornerback

3

a

: a private, secret, or remote place

a quiet corner of New England

sent to every corner of the earth

In every corner of [=throughout] her company, you'll find people in nontraditional positions …

—Kenyatta Matthews

b

: a difficult or embarrassing situation : a position from which escape or retreat is difficult or impossible

was backed into a corner

4

: control or ownership of enough of the available supply of a commodity or security especially to permit manipulation of the price

5

: a point at which significant change occurs

—often used in the phrase turn the corner

cornered

ˈkȯr-nərd 

adjective

corner

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated at a corner

the corner drugstore

2

: used or fitted for use in or on a corner

a corner table

corner

3 of 3

verb

cornered; cornering; corners

transitive verb

1

a

: to drive into a corner

the animal is dangerous when cornered

b

: to catch and hold the attention of especially to force an interview

2

: to get a corner on

corner the market

intransitive verb

1

: to meet or converge at a corner or angle

2

: to turn a corner

the car corners well

Phrases

around the corner

: at hand : imminent

good times are just around the corner

Synonyms

Noun

• bind
• box
• catch-22
• dilemma
• fix
• hole
• impasse
• jackpot [chiefly West]
• jam
• mire
• pickle
• predicament
• quagmire
• rabbit hole
• rattrap
• spot
• sticky wicket
• swamp

Examples of corner in a Sentence

Noun

the corner of a box

A post marks the corner of the property.

Write your name in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

He caught the ball in the corner of the end zone.

the northeast corner of the state

We sat at a table in a corner of the room.

The hotel is at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street.

A group of teenagers were hanging around on the corner.

He went to the grocery store around the corner from the bank.

He said something out of the corner of his mouth to the person standing next to him.

Adjective

We ate in a corner booth at the restaurant.

Verb

Police cornered the suspect in a backyard.

A cornered animal can be dangerous.

He cornered the actress and demanded her autograph.

The interviewer cornered the politician with some probing questions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Meanwhile, Hozier was (perhaps unwittingly) developing an increasingly devoted corner of his fan base. —Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 12 Dec. 2024

Escobedo’s overhaul of the Met’s modern and contemporary art wing, which occupies the southwest corner of the museum’s Central Park complex, will not expand the museum‘s footprint but will add nearly 50% more exhibition space, bringing the wing’s total gallery areas to around 71,000 square feet. —Benjamin Sutton, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024

Adjective

But the Suns are first in corner 3 accuracy overall this season by shooting at a 43.3% clip from that area of the floor, and are 13th at 36% on all their non-corner 3s. —Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2023

Wide receivers and tight ends will run crossing routes instead of wheel routes, and running backs will run option routes instead of corner and post-corner routes. —C.j. Doon, baltimoresun.com, 6 Jan. 2022

Verb

With the rebels regaining a foothold there again, they are no longer cornered in Idlib, which could potentially trigger a domino effect. —Lauren Kent, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024

During a photoshoot for Ventura, Combs allegedly cornered Bongolan and, inches from her face, threatened her. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French corner, corniere, from Old French corn "horn, angle, corner" (going back to Latin cornum, cornū "horn") or corne "horn, angle" (going back to Latin cornua, plural—taken as singular—of cornū) + -er, -iere -er entry 2 — more at horn

Adjective

attributive use of corner entry 1

Verb

derivative of corner entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1824, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing corner

• amen corner
• around the corner
• backed one into a corner
• back/paint oneself into a corner
• catty-corner
• coffin corner
• corner kick
• have/get a corner on
• hole-and-corner
• hospital corner
• hot corner
• in a tight corner
• In every corner of
• kitty-corner
• out of the corner of one's eye
• street corner
• turn the corner

Kids Definition

corner

1 of 3 noun

cor·​ner ˈkȯr-nər 

1

a

: the point or place where edges or sides meet : angle

b

: the place where two streets or roads meet

c

: a piece designed to form, mark, or protect a corner

2

: a place far away from ordinary affairs or life

a quiet corner of the town

3

: a position from which escape or retreat is difficult or impossible

was backed into a corner

4

: control or ownership of enough of the available supply of something to control its price

cornered

-nərd 

adjective

corner

2 of 3 adjective

1

: situated at a corner

the corner drugstore

2

: used or fitted for use in or on a corner

a corner cupboard

corner

3 of 3 verb

cornered; cornering

ˈkȯ(r)n-(ə-)riŋ

1

: to drive into a corner

the police cornered the criminal

2

: to get a corner on

corner the wheat market

3

: to turn a corner

a car that corners well

Medical Definition

corner

noun

cor·​ner ˈkȯ(r)-nər 

: corner tooth