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roister

verb

Definition of roisternext
as in to carouse
to take part in drunken revelry the earl's wastrel son had spent the best part of his youth roistering and gambling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of roister One of his sons, Thomas (Dean-Charles Chapman), though hardly old enough to be in long pants, wears shining armor, while the other son, Hal (Timothée Chalamet), is a slouch who wastes his life in roistering. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roister
  1. carouse
  2. drink
  3. revel
  4. binge
  5. birl
  6. wassail
Verb
  • There are certainly fans and pundits who feel that anything short of a title shouldn’t be celebrated in sports, and some who think carousing over anything less is especially beneath the Yankees, who have won 27 World Series but zero since 2009.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Three sitting rooms are complemented by a further three members’ social spaces for carousing in, concealed behind a subtle screen (here, DJs including Goldierocks make appearances, and mobile snaps are banned; staff politely place a sticker over mobile camera lenses).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Definition of carouse
Verb
  • Food and drink The Ocean Restaurant runs a seasonally rotating menu built around local seafood and North Island produce.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • But to jump to conclusions that the intent of this celebration was to drink alcohol and specifically beer was a leap.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of drink
Verb
  • The video sweeps around a reveling fiefdom, showing everyone from peasants to dukes partying and getting it on.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Navarrete reveled with one woman over her husband’s release from a detention facility.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of revel
Verb
  • The inviting throw is ideal for curling up under while binging Halloween movies or hunkering down on football Sundays, and adds a fun fall feel to your space that can easily transition into winter decorating.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Crew Girl Good enough to binge, not elite enough to remember.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of binge
Verb
  • There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead.
    — Douglas Stuart, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2020
  • In some parts of the United States, birling contests are annual events.
    — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2019
Definition of birl
Verb
  • Some speculate that wassailing predates Christianity in the region; others note its association with the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 24 Dec. 2025
  • Image Image In the village of Midsomer Norton, about 50 miles away, 100 people or so turned out for a community event to wassail three small apple trees in the local park.
    — Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Definition of wassail

Browse Nearby Words

roily
roister
roistered
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Cite this Entry

“Roister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roister. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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