steamroller

1 of 2

noun

steam·​roll·​er ˈstēm-ˌrō-lər 

1

: a steam-driven road roller

broadly : road roller

2

: a crushing force especially when ruthlessly applied to overcome opposition

steamroller

2 of 2

verb

steam·​roll·​er ˈstēm-ˌrō-lər 

variants or steamroll

ˈstēm-ˌrōl 

steamrollered or steamrolled; steamrollering or steamrolling; steamrollers or steamrolls

transitive verb

1

: to overwhelm usually by greatly superior force

steamroller the opposition

2

: to bring or advance by overwhelming force or pressure

steamrollered the bill through the legislature

intransitive verb

: to move or proceed with irresistible force

Examples of steamroller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Colors of the Alphabet offers sensory swings, a steamroller slide, and a space themed sensory room, for example. —Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025

For better or worse, in the name of progress, the SpaceX steamroller has rolled onward, paving all before it. —Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025

Verb

The national, state, and local design guidelines have been steamrollered – or perhaps shredded by the metaphorical bobsled hurtling down its track. —John Deffenbaugh, Denver Post, 22 July 2025

In the four back-to-back title-winning campaigns that preceded this season’s collapse, rivals often complained about a feeling of inevitability that each year City would just click into gear at some point and steamroller the league. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1879, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for steamroller

• bipolar
• comptroller
• controller
• dipolar
• gaoler
• nonpolar
• premolar
• ambipolar
• areolar
• bronchiolar
• circumpolar
• equimolar

Kids Definition

steamroller

noun

steam·​roll·​er

ˈstēm-ˈrō-lər

: a machine formerly driven by steam that has wide heavy rollers for pressing down and smoothing roads