as in plump
having an excess of body fat
a roly-poly baby who grew into a slender child
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Recent Examples of roly-poly
Stability: Does the foot plant feel secure, or do my ankles feel roly-poly?
—
Maggie Slepian, Outside, 26 Jan. 2026
The lounge’s furniture had been softened with curvy sofas and roly-poly club chairs, but that sensation of floating above the city felt familiar.
—Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
Every few weeks a letter or phone call requesting a conference with Zilpha and Jaron came from Mr. Darwin, the school resource manager, a roly-poly man with a lovely voice.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
But like a roly-poly, the gömböc is round in places.
—Elise Cutts, Wired News, 10 Aug. 2025
Regardless of what they’re called, most people know exactly what an armadillo looks like, with its roly-poly armored form and weird shuffling walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Imagine instead your mother’s delight in you as a baby, in all your sweet-smelling, roly-poly nudeness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
People were bamboozled by the roly-poly big-eyed cuteness — such clips have drawn in millions of viewers.
—Brian Munoz, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Imagine a pale roly-poly the size of a muskrat wandering the seafloor.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Maggie Slepian, Outside, 26 Jan. 2026
The lounge’s furniture had been softened with curvy sofas and roly-poly club chairs, but that sensation of floating above the city felt familiar.
—Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
Every few weeks a letter or phone call requesting a conference with Zilpha and Jaron came from Mr. Darwin, the school resource manager, a roly-poly man with a lovely voice.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
But like a roly-poly, the gömböc is round in places.
—Elise Cutts, Wired News, 10 Aug. 2025
Regardless of what they’re called, most people know exactly what an armadillo looks like, with its roly-poly armored form and weird shuffling walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Imagine instead your mother’s delight in you as a baby, in all your sweet-smelling, roly-poly nudeness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
People were bamboozled by the roly-poly big-eyed cuteness — such clips have drawn in millions of viewers.
—Brian Munoz, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Imagine a pale roly-poly the size of a muskrat wandering the seafloor.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roly-poly
Adjective
-
The centerpiece, adorned with plump peaches and a full moon, blends an American style of clay-throwing with carving techniques Saw learned in Jingdezhen.—
Abbey Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil buff out uneven texture and plump fine lines.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The pastry clung to a thin layer of aspic that enveloped a filing of pork shoulder and fat, bacon, chicken liver, veal sweetbreads, and button, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Wheat bran is primarily insoluble fiber with a little protein, fat and phenolic compounds.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dreams of ocean-view lots and Mediterranean-style villas were relegated to the round file.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
My room, outfitted with a round bed and a freestanding tub, edged into Austin Powers territory—outrageous in theory, wildly practical in reality (especially with the tub offering an impeccable sightline to the TV).—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roly-poly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roly-poly. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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