rock and roll

1 of 2

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

rock and roll

2 of 2

verb

rocked and rolled; rocking and rolling; rock and rolls

intransitive verb

1
: to perform or dance to rock and roll music
Mark headed off to Liverpool over the weekend, where he did a little rocking and rolling.Paula Zahn
2
informal : to start out or get going energetically
He was wide awake and ready to rock and roll at 5:00 A.M.Gideon Wulff
… an overwhelming majority of the U.S. population has a primal desire to unfold a badass pair of shades, slide them onto their head … throw a jacket over their shoulder, and utter, "let's rock and roll."The Onion

Examples of rock and roll in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The show will also spotlight actors, chefs, athletes and more — anyone with a love of music and a rock and roll spirit. Michele Amabile Angermiller, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 And on Tuesday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Aquaman star revealed that one of his most popular big screen characters, Aquaman, was actually inspired by his rock and roll hero. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Jan. 2024 To underscore the political urgency of his previous free-speech releases, Morrison traces rock and roll’s secular and religious roots. Armond White, National Review, 10 Nov. 2023 The film is rumored to take place in 1965, centering on the moment when Dylan transitioned from his folk roots to a more rock and roll sensibility, sparking outrage from some of his fans. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 The rock and roll pioneer collected 14 champions on the singles tally in the nation. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 And last, but certainly not least, Oprah Winfrey honored to the goddess of rock and roll herself, Tina Turner. Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 4 Feb. 2024 Listening to the record — and the band — proved to be monumental for Kravitz, who up until that time only cited groups like the Jackson 5 for giving him his first taste of rock and roll. Janine Rubenstein, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024 Wearing head-to-toe black is nothing new for the fashion cognoscenti; but in Seoul, street stylers are adding a rock and roll edge to it. Young Chul Kim, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2024
Verb
Simone Jackson: The Underground Disco Icon The world of Daisy Jones & The Six isn’t all rock and roll. Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Mar. 2023 Hedi Slimane, the current creative director of the French fashion house Celine, has always had a knack for the aesthetics of the rock and roll lifestyle: tight silhouettes here, leather there, and the use of large aviator sunglasses everywhere. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 6 Mar. 2023 But from the rock and roll era and on, exactly zero mainstream-famous bands have gotten their start in Huntsville. Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 6 Mar. 2023 Avril Lavigne’s fashion sense has always perfectly aligned with her pop-punk music: Her wardrobe is all about embodying an edgy, rock and roll attitude. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2023 Known as one of the legendary rock and roll sidemen of his era, the musician played in Browne’s band for most of the Eighties, making a name for himself beyond the studio. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2023 It’s been more than half a century since The Beatles and Rolling Stones reinvented the idea of rock and roll in their own unique styles. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2023 With a hand in his band’s album art, costumes, songwriting, staging and more, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s creativity has helped to define one of the strongest, most successful brands in rock and roll history. Jim Ryan, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023 In the show, starring Riley Keough as Daisy Jones, viewers are taken back to the 1970s in the age of rock and roll as a little band called The Six claws their way up the charts. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rock and roll.' 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

1954, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rock and roll was in 1954

Dictionary Entries Near rock and roll

Cite this Entry

“Rock and roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock%20and%20roll. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rock-and-roll

noun

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