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3
as in to rock
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the car suddenly was rolling as high winds swept across the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to turn
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
in order to knock your opponent off balance, you have to roll the log when he least expects it
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to flow
to move in a stream
just lying on the beach, watching the clouds roll by
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center
rolled her head around her shoulders to loosen herself up
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in to drift
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
once we started rolling, everything went perfectly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in list
a record of a series of items (as names or titles) usually arranged according to some system
called the roll of people supposed to be in the class
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of roll
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025
All of which is to say that the good times rolled all the way through.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Written in Latin, the coroners' rolls are records of sudden or suspicious deaths as investigated by a jury of local men, called together by the coroner to establish facts and reach a verdict.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for roll
Verb
Whales were seen biting off the tips of bull kelp stalks, placing them between themselves and another whale and then rolling the stalk between their two bodies over long periods — with the longest lasting 12 minutes.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025
All of which is to say that the good times rolled all the way through.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Noun
Later this year, Odom will reprise his roll as Aaron Burr for much longer than a few minutes.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Written in Latin, the coroners' rolls are records of sudden or suspicious deaths as investigated by a jury of local men, called together by the coroner to establish facts and reach a verdict.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for roll
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roll
Verb
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But Allstate said not to count out the West Coast: Los Angeles, Glendale and Oakland, California round out the 10 riskiest cities for drivers.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
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The Independent Music Awards will round out AIM’s wider programme of events for 2025.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
19 June 2025
Verb
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That is a fair debate which will continue to rumble, particularly as there are plenty of people within FIFA who would like to expand this event in future editions.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
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The bridge’s unusual double-decker design would later allow motor vehicles on the lower deck while trains rumbled across on the upper deck, the Pioneer Press reported.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2025
Verb
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Paycom Center was rocking during the player introductions and the raucous frenzy continued after tip-off as the Thunder got off to a hot start from the outset.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
17 June 2025
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An explosion rocked the Iranian news station where popular news anchor Sahar Emami was broadcasting live during Israel’s ongoing fighting with Iran on Monday.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
17 June 2025
Verb
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By 1913 Henry Ford’s moving-belt assembly line cut build time to 93 minutes, and cheap Texas oil kept the tank full, turning personal mobility from luxury to the default setting.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
22 June 2025
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The officer was traveling westbound on Olympic Parkway and was turning left to travel south on Windingwalk Street when the motorcyclist, who was traveling eastbound on Olympic Parkway allegedly crashed onto the side of police car.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Verb
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The next step for the astronomers will be to explore how hot gas flows through NGC 253, changing composition and helping to create new stars.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
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Profits flow through Chinese underground banks to the Chinese Communist Party’s $210 billion state tobacco empire, helping fund naval expansion and ballistic-missile programs.—
Edgar Domenech,
Sun Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Verb
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But internal controls, like segregation of duties, dual approvals or rotating high-risk job functions, don’t signal distrust.—
Toby Braun,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Defensively, roles are still to be determined on the line, but players rotate so frequently at that spot that there isn’t major intrigue in that battle.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
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From the moment Voyager 1 appears on screen, floating in silence, then drifting seemingly out of the theater screen toward the audience, the stereo work adds depth and immersion without ever becoming a gimmick.—
Scott Snowden,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
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Smoke from both is drifting south, causing hazy skies across the borderland.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 June 2025
Verb
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That's because behind every gurgle and growl there's a bustling ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that include bacteria, viruses and fungi that can all affect overall mental and physical well-being.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
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Distance-Increasing Signals: Behaviors such as lip licking, turning away, or stiffening, escalating to growling or lunging if ignored.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roll. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
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