1
as in perching
to come to rest after descending from the air
pigeons flying home to roost on the roof
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nestling
to establish or place comfortably or snugly
a gang of friends had roosted themselves around the ski lodge's massive fireplace
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Recent Examples of roosting
Eucalyptus, Monterey pine, and Monterey cypress trees are common homes for roosting monarchs, as those tree species provide adequate shelter from weather and predators.
—
Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
The county said construction for the park would not take place within 200 feet of roosting sites for the bat, but provided no evidence to support that as a proper buffer, adding another inadequacy to the environmental review, Bacal said.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Exclusion is the most effective means of keeping bats from roosting in your house.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Though no condors were roosting near the Grand Canyon area wildfires, the Peregrine Fund evacuated three captive condors in their facilities to a safe location.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Here, the wide, shallow channels are perfect for roosting birds, while the surrounding cornfields provide a post-harvest buffet, allowing the cranes to fatten up for the long journey to their breeding grounds in the northern stretches of the United States, Canada, and even Siberia.
—Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025
If the permit is granted, the gulls' eggs can only be exterminated during roosting season between mid-May and mid-June.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The birds were roosting — settling in to sleep — in trees surrounding the Pyramid, including eucalyptus trees along Washington Street and in the park’s 50-year-old towering redwoods.
—Culture Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Dec. 2024
Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
The county said construction for the park would not take place within 200 feet of roosting sites for the bat, but provided no evidence to support that as a proper buffer, adding another inadequacy to the environmental review, Bacal said.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Exclusion is the most effective means of keeping bats from roosting in your house.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Though no condors were roosting near the Grand Canyon area wildfires, the Peregrine Fund evacuated three captive condors in their facilities to a safe location.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Here, the wide, shallow channels are perfect for roosting birds, while the surrounding cornfields provide a post-harvest buffet, allowing the cranes to fatten up for the long journey to their breeding grounds in the northern stretches of the United States, Canada, and even Siberia.
—Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025
If the permit is granted, the gulls' eggs can only be exterminated during roosting season between mid-May and mid-June.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The birds were roosting — settling in to sleep — in trees surrounding the Pyramid, including eucalyptus trees along Washington Street and in the park’s 50-year-old towering redwoods.
—Culture Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roosting
Verb
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The rehabilitation team was worried about his hallux, or rear-facing toe, which eagles need for grabbing prey and perching.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Birds need a complete habitat that includes food, shelter, nesting areas and perching spots.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The metal tip was nestling against the uppermost layer of his nail.—
Kate Crane,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cottagecore cozy wouldn’t be complete without a quilt, and this one from Brooklinen is on par to nestling into a cotton candy cloud.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 16, 2026.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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Hamilton described his version as landing somewhere between Senegalese and Ghanaian, cooked in a slurry of roasted red peppers, tomatoes and onions, delicately spiced and with a whisper of smoke.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those vessels were apparently Indian, with New Delhi lodging a complaint with Tehran.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
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Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Vietnam, with lodging for as little as $15 a night and inexpensive local cuisine.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Aliko Dangote plans to expand his refinery into producing key chemicals used in detergents and cleaning products, targeting another import-dependent Nigerian market and positioning the business as a major player in the global supply chain.—
Anthony Osae-Brown,
Bloomberg,
20 Apr. 2026
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Correa walked, positioning perhaps the hottest hitter in baseball as the potential tying run.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Try to keep parking clear in front of your home so that workers are less likely to park elsewhere.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roosting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roosting. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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