roll out the red carpet

phrase

: to formally greet or welcome an important guest who has just arrived
The governor rolled out the red carpet for his dinner guests.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roll out the red carpet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roll%20out%20the%20red%20carpet. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster