bankroll

1 of 2

noun

bank·​roll ˈbaŋk-ˌrōl How to pronounce bankroll (audio)
: supply of money : funds

bankroll

2 of 2

verb

bankrolled; bankrolling; bankrolls

transitive verb

: to supply money for (a business, project, or person)
bankroller noun

Examples of bankroll in a Sentence

Noun They started the business with a fairly small bankroll. my total bankroll right now is $2,000 Verb several corporations bankrolled the Broadway musical
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Schiff’s bankroll far exceeds the amounts reported by the other top Democrats in the race, Reps. Katie Porter of Irvine and Barbara Lee of Oakland. Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023 Saudi Arabia is bringing its gusher of investment capital to Boston, setting up shop in the nation’s biotechnology hub to bankroll scientists seeking ways to extend human life. Robert Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023 Los Cabos could also tap municipal funding, private investment and sponsors to bankroll editions. John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023 What is the line between a social media influencer’s colorful online promotion and the flat-out misrepresentation of a huckster, selling online marks on the promise of the fat bankrolls available to those smart enough to invest with him? Josh Gabert-Doyon, The New Republic, 29 Aug. 2023 The 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost is the volume model and thus the gateway to the family for Mustang-curious rental customers or those without the bankroll to afford a GT. Car and Driver, 24 July 2023 He was freed in 2013 after Putin pardoned him, and since then has helped bankroll efforts from abroad to support democratic efforts in Russia and undermine Putin's rule. Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 27 June 2023 Cuccinelli touted plans to spend $100 million on the voter-outreach effort that, while he’s technically barred from coordinating with DeSantis, is designed to help bankroll ground organizing, leaving DeSantis campaign free to focus on other aspects of campaigning. Matt Stout, BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 2023 The year 2000 was the most predictable of those four presidential races; Texas Governor George W. Bush was always heavily favored because of his family name and his huge, for the era, political bankroll. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 6 June 2023
Verb
Lear bankrolled Reiner’s remarkable 1980s run of This is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand by Me and The Princess Bride. Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 Meanwhile, a senior aide for Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting DeSantis' presidential bid, indicated that the group would keep bankrolling attacks against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has gained traction in the Republican primary. Abby Cruz, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2023 Investigations of this terrorist organization and its funding reveal that Hamas uses cryptocurrency to bankroll its operations. WSJ, 18 Oct. 2023 Only one organization had enough money and a sufficient long-term horizon to bankroll the creation of the computer industry: the federal government. David Leonhardt, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023 Stacy and Izzy did make it to the altar, but only after weeks of squabbling over his bad credit score and her expectation that her future husband would have the money to bankroll first-class plane tickets. TIME, 13 Oct. 2023 Clarence Thomas’s travel bankrolled by wealthy friends was more extensive than previously reported and included yachting trips around the Bahamas, premium sports events, and a private 737 sent to retrieve the US Supreme Court justice, according to a new ProPublica report. Emily Birnbaum, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023 The platforms bankrolled British and Spanish shows to the tune of $2.95 billion (€2.7 billion) in 2022, nearly double their investment in productions in the other three largest markets, France, Germany and Italy, combined ($1.5 billion/€1.4 billion). Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023 Adidas had stopped funding Yeezy apparel, so the artist was bankrolling it himself. Megan Twohey, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bankroll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bankroll was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near bankroll

Cite this Entry

“Bankroll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bankroll. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bankroll

noun
bank·​roll
ˈbaŋk-ˌrōl
: supply of money : funds

More from Merriam-Webster on bankroll

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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