heads roll

phrase

: people lose their jobs
When the boss finds out, heads are going to roll.

Examples of heads roll in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Under any normal circumstance, a big-market franchise face-plant this hard would mean that heads roll this offseason. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heads roll was in 1946

Rhymes for heads roll

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Browse Nearby Words

headspring
heads roll
headstall
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Cite this Entry

“Heads roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heads%20roll. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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