eye roll
noun
variants
or less commonly eye-roll
plural eye rolls also eye-rolls
: an upward turning of the eyes especially as an expression of annoyance, exasperation, disbelief, etc. : an instance of rolling the eyes
Historically, anyone who dares to give pro athletes mental advice—be they M.D.s, psychologists or shamans—often gets the eye roll or the pat on the back.—
Jaimal Yogis
Jaimal YogisContempt, one of the emotions Gottman watches for at the Love Lab, is detectable through the … buccinator, which pulls the lip corners to the side and creates a distinctly uncute dimple; it's often combined with an upward eye roll.—Casey Greenfield
Casey GreenfieldHis stories always took their time, his daughter said, and usually some winding turns, too. His family's eye-rolls only made him go slower.—Peter Schworm
Peter Schworm"Mom!" She gave me the parents-are-weird eye-roll. The truth is, though, she's proud of me.—Katha Pollitt
Katha PollittExamples of eye roll in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Helping punch things up a little are the divine Carol Burnett (who can, with one eye roll, generate huge laughs) and Ricky Martin, in a charming role as poolside bartender/pseudo-caregiver Robert to Maxine’s bedridden aunt-in-law (Burnett).
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Practical and fun presents that won't get an eye roll.
—Nykia Spradley, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2024
The audience, full of eye rolls, struggled to keep from laughing out loud.
—Scott Howard-Cooper., Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
In today's age of technology, three-ring binders will likely be met with eye rolls.
—Jerry Dolinsky, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
In 2024, news about a celebrity beauty brand tends to be met with an audible sigh and an eye roll at Allure HQ.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 28 Feb. 2024
Everything about her seemed hyperbolically over-the-top: her Bardot ponytail, her mini-Mariah pipes, her mascara-dripping eye rolls, her perpetually bored scowl of teen contempt.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024
Several pet owners told me that a bit more grace would be nice, too: fewer eye rolls or snide comments, fewer jokes about dying alone.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2024
This year, Goldman found examples of heart eyes, eye rolls, devil faces, rats, kisses, and nuts mentioned in lawsuits.
—Lora Kelley, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2023
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Practical and fun presents that won't get an eye roll.
—Nykia Spradley, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2024
The audience, full of eye rolls, struggled to keep from laughing out loud.
—Scott Howard-Cooper., Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
In today's age of technology, three-ring binders will likely be met with eye rolls.
—Jerry Dolinsky, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
In 2024, news about a celebrity beauty brand tends to be met with an audible sigh and an eye roll at Allure HQ.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 28 Feb. 2024
Everything about her seemed hyperbolically over-the-top: her Bardot ponytail, her mini-Mariah pipes, her mascara-dripping eye rolls, her perpetually bored scowl of teen contempt.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024
Several pet owners told me that a bit more grace would be nice, too: fewer eye rolls or snide comments, fewer jokes about dying alone.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2024
This year, Goldman found examples of heart eyes, eye rolls, devil faces, rats, kisses, and nuts mentioned in lawsuits.
—Lora Kelley, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eye roll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Eye roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eye%20roll. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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