roller-coaster

1 of 2

adjective

roll·​er-coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller-coaster (audio)
ˈrō-lə-ˌkō-
: marked by numerous ups and downs
an entertainer's roller-coaster career

roller coaster

2 of 2

noun

roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller coaster (audio)
ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-
1
: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) constructed with sharp curves and steep inclines on which cars roll
2
: something resembling a roller coaster
especially : behavior, events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes
an emotional roller coaster

Examples of roller-coaster in a Sentence

Noun We went for a ride on the roller coaster. The divorce was an emotional roller coaster for both of them.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The eyes of the roller-coaster loving world are on the New Jersey theme park, which originally targeted mid-February for the implosion, according to a permit filed by the park. Mike Davis, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025 As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics. Trefis Team, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
Given the life-or-death themes of the romance, Queen of Tears is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Kayti Burt, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025 This led me to live on a roller coaster without brakes. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for roller-coaster 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1940, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roller-coaster was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near roller-coaster

roller chain

roller-coaster

roller coaster

Cite this Entry

“Roller-coaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

roller coaster

noun
roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller coaster (audio)
ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-
: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) with sharp curves and steep slopes on which cars roll
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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