roster

noun

ros·​ter ˈrä-stər 

also ˈrȯ-

or ˈrō-

1

a

: a roll or list of personnel

b

: such a list giving the order in which a duty is to be performed

a duty roster

c

: the persons listed on a roster

2

: an itemized list

Synonyms of roster

• list
• listing

Examples of roster in a Sentence

His name has been added to the team roster.

The team has a roster of 40 players.

Recent Examples on the Web

Moreira, in his second season as the Vandals’ head coach, built this year’s roster with a mix of true freshmen and five standouts from the transfer portal, including Barbosa and fellow Brazilian Debora Dos Santos. —Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 12 Mar. 2026

An American roster that boasts six Cy Young awards and seven MVP awards (plus six second-place finishes) can exhale. —Zack Meisel, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026

The combined acquisition cost and $29 million guaranteed for 2026 with Brown is a steep hill to climb for anybody and Payton and Paton have rarely carried two expensive receivers on their rosters. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026

The success of the farm system, much like the major league roster, will be predicated on how a number of position player prospects respond to down seasons. —Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Dutch rooster, literally, gridiron; from the parallel lines

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for roster

• coster
• zoster
• exhauster
• imposter
• impostor

Kids Definition

roster

noun

ros·​ter ˈräs-tər 

: a list usually of people belonging to some group