rock and roll

noun

variants or rock 'n' roll
: popular music usually played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repetition of simple phrases, and often country, folk, and blues elements : rock entry 2 sense 2
If many older people had been suspicious of the jukebox in the early fifties, they were even more affronted by the success of rock and roll after 1954.Dominic Sandbrook
The industry has changed. Is it no longer sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll?AP News
often used before another noun
rock and roll legends/albums
… Jack is in his corset, Jane is in her vest. And me, I'm in a rock 'n' roll band …The Velvet Underground

Examples of rock and roll in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Mississippi made national headlines while its music helped shape the era — as both blues and the roots of rock and roll. Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026 After college in Bowling Green, Pecsenye was drawn to Cleveland, the beating heart of rock and roll. Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 In my era, parents worried about television (and rock and roll) eating our intellect. Ann Kirschner, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 The future king of rock and roll was born nearby, in a two-room house built by his father, grandfather, and uncle on January 8, 1935. Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for rock and roll

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rock and roll was in 1955

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rock and roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock%20and%20roll. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

rock-and-roll

noun

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