1
a
: a support on which birds rest
b
: a place where winged animals and especially birds customarily roost
2
: a group of birds roosting together
roosted; roosting; roosts
1
: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch
2
: to settle oneself as if on a roost
: to supply a roost for or put to roost
Synonyms
Examples of roost in a Sentence
Verb
Pigeons roost on the building's ledge.
pigeons flying home to roost on the roof
Recent Examples on the Web
Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
Turkeys roost in areas where they won’t be disturbed.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 18 Apr. 2023
Instead, Raman found three roosts along a national highway, with the rest in sacred groves, protected areas that usually belong to temples and places of worship.
—WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
However, the university couldn’t play any ol’ bird sounds to scare away the crows: Beloved peregrine falcons roost on top of the Cathedral of Learning, and choosing the wrong predator could scare away the crows and the falcons.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 16 Aug. 2023
These tiny birds, at 4 to 5 inches long, are currently facing population decline as their natural roosts — hollows of large, old trees — have been destroyed over the years from deforestation.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
Turn the corner at Heavy Water Coffee and follow the row of tables shaded with umbrellas to Perilla’s gabled, 260-square-foot roost.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
After ruling the box office roost for four weekends, Barbie is falling to second place as DC’s superhero pic Blue Beetle takes the top spot.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Aug. 2023
During the visit to the Temple City roost, PAS’ Husic offered a simple explanation as to why the parrots might seem louder to some people.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2023
Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 13 Mar. 2023
The eagles appear to be thriving, said Lewis, roosting and flying together, pecking each other and being near the other while one is hunting.
—Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2023
Humans had cut down the old pine trees, chiefly Longleaf Pine, that the birds excavate cavities in for roosting and nesting.
—Robert Kunzig, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023
Bats roosting on a home’s exterior and behaving normally are not a threat, and people should leave the animals alone, according to the release.
—Jordan Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023
The spectacular dinner grounds, a rustic-modern space roosted on a rise overlooking 55 acres of meticulous vineyards, served as the ideal backdrop for summer’s ending.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2023
Instead, for months, the turkey has gone about its business — eating, evading predators, roosting in treetops — with a roughly 2½-foot arrow sticking out of both sides of its chest, bewildering nearby residents and wildlife experts.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023
Students and faculty would leave class at the Cathedral of Learning or leave the Carnegie Museum of Art and see hundreds of crows roosting in the trees.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 16 Aug. 2023
Moths, on the other hand, don’t build burrows or nests and instead roost in trees and shrubs during the day.
—WIRED, 12 June 2023
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Noun
Advertisement During the bird’s spring and fall migration, Audubon San Diego staff and volunteers monitor the number of vaux’s swift that roost in San Diego.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
Turkeys roost in areas where they won’t be disturbed.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 18 Apr. 2023
Instead, Raman found three roosts along a national highway, with the rest in sacred groves, protected areas that usually belong to temples and places of worship.
—WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
However, the university couldn’t play any ol’ bird sounds to scare away the crows: Beloved peregrine falcons roost on top of the Cathedral of Learning, and choosing the wrong predator could scare away the crows and the falcons.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 16 Aug. 2023
These tiny birds, at 4 to 5 inches long, are currently facing population decline as their natural roosts — hollows of large, old trees — have been destroyed over the years from deforestation.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
Turn the corner at Heavy Water Coffee and follow the row of tables shaded with umbrellas to Perilla’s gabled, 260-square-foot roost.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
After ruling the box office roost for four weekends, Barbie is falling to second place as DC’s superhero pic Blue Beetle takes the top spot.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Aug. 2023
During the visit to the Temple City roost, PAS’ Husic offered a simple explanation as to why the parrots might seem louder to some people.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2023
Verb
The airport is working with a vendor to install bird netting underneath the terminal on the secured, ramp side to eliminate areas where birds roost and nest.
—Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 13 Mar. 2023
The eagles appear to be thriving, said Lewis, roosting and flying together, pecking each other and being near the other while one is hunting.
—Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2023
Humans had cut down the old pine trees, chiefly Longleaf Pine, that the birds excavate cavities in for roosting and nesting.
—Robert Kunzig, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023
Bats roosting on a home’s exterior and behaving normally are not a threat, and people should leave the animals alone, according to the release.
—Jordan Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023
The spectacular dinner grounds, a rustic-modern space roosted on a rise overlooking 55 acres of meticulous vineyards, served as the ideal backdrop for summer’s ending.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2023
Instead, for months, the turkey has gone about its business — eating, evading predators, roosting in treetops — with a roughly 2½-foot arrow sticking out of both sides of its chest, bewildering nearby residents and wildlife experts.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023
Students and faculty would leave class at the Cathedral of Learning or leave the Carnegie Museum of Art and see hundreds of crows roosting in the trees.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 16 Aug. 2023
Moths, on the other hand, don’t build burrows or nests and instead roost in trees and shrubs during the day.
—WIRED, 12 June 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'roost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English hrōst; akin to Old Saxon hrōst attic
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of roost was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing roost
Articles Related to roost
Dictionary Entries Near roost
Cite this Entry
“Roost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roost. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on roost
Nglish: Translation of roost for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of roost for Arabic Speakers
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