roller-coaster

1 of 2

adjective

roll·​er-coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 

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 

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

Adjective

The stock has been on a roller-coaster ever since Musk endorsed Trump in mid-July 2024 in his re-election bid, gaining 169% from that point through mid-December. —Chris Kirkham, USA Today, 7 June 2025

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.com, 6 June 2025

Noun

It's been quite the roller coaster for Durant since leaving the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2019. —Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025

For serious thrill seekers, SeaWorld San Diego also has a variety of roller coasters. —Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1940, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for roller-coaster

• paternoster
• coaster
• poster
• roaster
• toaster

Kids 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