roller-coaster

1 of 2

adjective

roll·​er-coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller-coaster (audio)
ˈrō-lə-ˌkō-
: marked by numerous ups and downs
an entertainer's roller-coaster career

roller coaster

2 of 2

noun

roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller coaster (audio)
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
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.
Adjective
There were a lot of positives to take away from a Cowboys win that gets them firmly back on track at 2-2-1 after a roller-coaster few weeks. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025 Cowboys-Jets The Cowboys’ roller-coaster season now takes them to New Jersey for a matchup with the winless New York Jets. Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Tigers finally lost 3-2, on a Jorge Polanco RBI single that finished the marathon, decided the series and ended Detroit’s roller coaster ride of a season. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 The guest's death comes just under one month after a man died while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe, Universal's new theme park that opened in May. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roller-coaster

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1940, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roller-coaster was in 1883

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roller-coaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

roller coaster

noun
roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər How to pronounce roller coaster (audio)
ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-
: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) with sharp curves and steep slopes on which cars roll
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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