as in stevedore
one who loads and unloads ships at a port
sought work as a roustabout on the city's seedy waterfront
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 roustabout
West End performer Simon Bailey takes on the lead role of a modern-day showman, while newcomer Aaliya Mai makes her professional debut as Max, a shy young roustabout.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Sep. 2024
The musical’s book by Rick Elice, based not just on the 2011 movie but also on the 2006 novel by Sara Gruen, is set among the performers and roustabouts of a ramshackle circus at the depths of the Depression.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
With only an eighth-grade education — there was no high school near his isolated farm — Dad supported a family on an oil worker’s pay, rising through the ranks from roustabout to toolpusher and finally assistant foreman at Shell’s Ventura lease.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2023
Cox would work his way up from a roustabout and roughneck to eventually leading an oil and gas company as well as other notable businesses.
—Dallas News, 7 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for roustabout
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Sep. 2024
The musical’s book by Rick Elice, based not just on the 2011 movie but also on the 2006 novel by Sara Gruen, is set among the performers and roustabouts of a ramshackle circus at the depths of the Depression.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
With only an eighth-grade education — there was no high school near his isolated farm — Dad supported a family on an oil worker’s pay, rising through the ranks from roustabout to toolpusher and finally assistant foreman at Shell’s Ventura lease.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2023
Cox would work his way up from a roustabout and roughneck to eventually leading an oil and gas company as well as other notable businesses.
—Dallas News, 7 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for roustabout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roustabout
Noun
-
His father, Ryozo, a sumo wrestler from Fukuoka Prefecture, became a stevedore and owner of a dry cleaning shop in Hawaii.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Calder’s handshake was that of a stevedore, which is to say the man had the grip of a sculptor who could work metal and wood with power and dexterity.—
Nicholas Fox Weber,
Air Mail,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The state of Maryland followed, as did a group of Baltimore longshoremen who filed a class action lawsuit arguing the companies should reimburse them for wages lost while the port was closed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
-
Holifield said listeners can also scan the QR code and hear stories from local historians such as Marvin Dunn, whose father was a longshoreman.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nicole TungA Burmese dockworker sorting different fish species after a catch from a Thai vessel was unloaded in Ranong, Thailand, in January 2025.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
But the tough comparisons did not stop the port’s dockworkers from handling the highest total number of TEUs in North America, both for March and the first quarter.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roustabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roustabout. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
