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
The roly-poly robot named after a mythological many-eyed giant has depth-sensing cameras attached to 20 telescoping legs that radiate from a central core.
—
Allen Breed, Fortune, 28 May 2026
This roly-poly robot will be holding thousands of small drones, or dandelion drones, within.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 25 May 2026
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, 19 May 2026
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
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
Allen Breed, Fortune, 28 May 2026
This roly-poly robot will be holding thousands of small drones, or dandelion drones, within.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 25 May 2026
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, 19 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roly-poly
Adjective
-
At Pan Asian restaurant Oriental, the lobster comes to the beachside tables looking like plump scoops of ice cream, and is best ordered alongside the black pepper wagyu beef.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
Look for cherries that are bright, plump and firm.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Buccal fat refers to the natural fat tissues in the midface and lower face, responsible for the rounded soft jaw shape.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
Nice, juicy, fat, heirloom, or slicer tomato.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Beef cheeks and tongues, Frenched racks of lamb, glistening hams, poulet de Bresse, and rabbits still with their heads, round eyes blinkless under long lashes frozen in the ice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
There’s a noticeable churn of locals on the round floor—shoppers having coffee in Le Bar Long, friends holding a baby shower over brunch—which makes the property feel like a neighborhood hangout.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roly-poly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roly-poly. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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