roll·er-coast·er
ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 
ˈrō-lə-ˌkō-
: marked by numerous ups and downs
an entertainer's roller-coaster career
roll·er coast·er
ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər
ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-
1
: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) constructed with sharp curves and steep inclines on which cars roll
2
: something resembling a roller coaster
especially
: behavior, events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes
an emotional roller coaster
Examples of roller-coaster in a Sentence
Noun
We went for a ride on the roller coaster.
The divorce was an emotional roller coaster for both of them.
Recent Examples on the Web
Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
At the top of a roller-coaster hill in Highland Park, Thomas Zamora and his husband, Raul Rojas, enjoy two spectacular views — of the Pasadena hills to the east and of the meandering expanse of native plants, succulents and vegetables in a backyard that once was nothing but dirt and junk cars.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Following a roller-coaster conversation about the succession plan for the city’s top administrator, the commission voted 6-1 to appoint Williams and pursue a search to take no longer than six months.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
With its roller-coaster feel, it’s often named as a favorite track among drivers.
—Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
The roller-coaster ride hasn’t stopped, but Segarra’s learned to appreciate that their grief, too, is an expression of love.
—Jeff Gage, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
The Texas Panhandle is no stranger to face-blasting winds nor roller-coaster dips in temperature.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The 2023-24 NBA season has taken Sacramento on a wild roller-coaster ride with a stomach-turning series of twists and turns.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024
The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024
Ronnie's life has been a roller coaster since his split with Sammi.
—Chris Jordan, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Any park can roll out a new roller coaster or carnival ride.
—Robert Niles, Orange County Register, 5 Apr. 2024
And roller coaster fans will be drawn by the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: the Ultimate Ride coaster, which climbs 84 feet and drops down a double helix track, and the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, which will feature a double loop and two corkscrews.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
But the next several days, weeks and months — possibly years — are likely to be a roller coaster.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
While many remember its fun attractions, including The Wildcat roller coaster and Fairyland Twin Drive-In theaters, others recall the exclusion of Black people from the park.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Then there’s Davis himself, who seems ready for a roller coaster.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Cruise ships feature a range of amenities, from roller coasters and go-kart tracks to spas and dining, but passengers may not always know where to find mental health resources on board.
—USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The announcement, posted by Musk on X Friday afternoon, capped off a weird day of reports and counter-reports that sent Tesla’s stock on a roller-coaster ride, slipping down 6 points on the day before recovering in after-hours trading.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
At the top of a roller-coaster hill in Highland Park, Thomas Zamora and his husband, Raul Rojas, enjoy two spectacular views — of the Pasadena hills to the east and of the meandering expanse of native plants, succulents and vegetables in a backyard that once was nothing but dirt and junk cars.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Following a roller-coaster conversation about the succession plan for the city’s top administrator, the commission voted 6-1 to appoint Williams and pursue a search to take no longer than six months.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
With its roller-coaster feel, it’s often named as a favorite track among drivers.
—Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
The roller-coaster ride hasn’t stopped, but Segarra’s learned to appreciate that their grief, too, is an expression of love.
—Jeff Gage, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
The Texas Panhandle is no stranger to face-blasting winds nor roller-coaster dips in temperature.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The 2023-24 NBA season has taken Sacramento on a wild roller-coaster ride with a stomach-turning series of twists and turns.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024
Noun
The roller coaster train moves forward and backward at speeds up to 36 mph over 1,400 feet of track and reaches an apex of 73½ feet.
—The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024
Ronnie's life has been a roller coaster since his split with Sammi.
—Chris Jordan, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Any park can roll out a new roller coaster or carnival ride.
—Robert Niles, Orange County Register, 5 Apr. 2024
And roller coaster fans will be drawn by the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: the Ultimate Ride coaster, which climbs 84 feet and drops down a double helix track, and the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, which will feature a double loop and two corkscrews.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
But the next several days, weeks and months — possibly years — are likely to be a roller coaster.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
While many remember its fun attractions, including The Wildcat roller coaster and Fairyland Twin Drive-In theaters, others recall the exclusion of Black people from the park.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Then there’s Davis himself, who seems ready for a roller coaster.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Cruise ships feature a range of amenities, from roller coasters and go-kart tracks to spas and dining, but passengers may not always know where to find mental health resources on board.
—USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'roller-coaster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near roller-coaster
Cite this Entry
“Roller-coaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
roller coaster
noun
roll·er coast·er
ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər
ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-
: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) with sharp curves and steep slopes on which cars roll
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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