roll call

noun

1

: the act or an instance of calling off a list of names (as for checking attendance)

also : a time for a roll call

2

: list entry 1

Synonyms

• canon
• catalog
• catalogue
• checklist
• list
• listing
• menu
• register
• registry
• roll
• roster
• schedule
• table

Examples of roll call in a Sentence

Two students missed roll call.

the roll call of the fallen was read aloud at the memorial service

Recent Examples on the Web

While Johnson had no opponents during the private roll call late Tuesday, some two dozen Republicans did not vote, more than enough to sink his nomination. —Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2023

Okay, back to the roll call: The final rose goes to Kathy, who, along with everyone mentioned before, joins Theresa in the Circle of Safety™. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 6 Oct. 2023

The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson’s threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to impeaching Mayorkas, the first Cabinet secretary facing charges in nearly 150 years. —Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2024

The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson's, R-La., threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to impeaching Mayorkas, the first Cabinet secretary charged in nearly 150 years. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 14 Feb. 2024

During yesterday's vote, the roll call ended in a rare 215-215 tie — until GOP Rep. Blake Moore of Utah switched his vote to no at the last minute so that lawmakers could vote again. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024

But lawmakers still managed to hold over 1,000 roll call votes between the Senate and the House of Representatives, giving us a trove of data to dissect and analyze. —Tia Yang, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2024

Here’s a roll call of the 49ers’ injuries other than Ferrell and Armstead: — Running back Christian McCaffrey, who sat out a 21-20 loss to the Ram with a calf strain, won’t practice this week but is expected back next week. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024

And the sight of a female supervisor running a crime briefing barely rates a glance anymore from officers filing into a roll call room. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

roll call

noun

: the action of calling off a list of names (as for checking attendance)

also : a time for a roll call

Legal Definition

roll call

noun

: the act or an instance of calling off a list of names (as for checking attendance)

specifically : an act or instance of calling the roll of a legislative body to determine if there is a quorum or to vote on a matter