rolling

1 of 2

present participle of roll

rolling

2 of 2

adjective

roll·​ing ˈrō-liŋ 

: not having or set to a fixed date or deadline : continually adjustable through a period of time to provide flexibility for individual circumstances

… the city is encouraging families to sign up their kids by June 26, although there is a rolling deadline until Oct. 1. The sooner families apply … the better chance they'll secure the seat they want.

—Matthew Chayes

Many law schools use a rolling admissions process, meaning they evaluate applications as they come in and release admissions decisions, one by one.

—Ilana Kowarski

The Delaware Aglands Foundation Board announced it will institute a rolling application process for its Young Farmer Loan Program to offer young farmers more flexibility in acquiring a farm.

—The Dover Post

Examples of rolling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Tesla touted the car as a rolling fortress that could tow 14,000 pounds and withstand hits from sledgehammers and even firearms. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026

Built in 1970, the uber-quiet four-acre property sits at the top of a hill overlooking seemingly endless rolling valleys. — Allison Duncan, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 12-inch round, lifting and rotating the dough and adding another dusting of flour as needed to keep it from sticking. — ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026

Order growth of 51% on a rolling 12-month basis led to 121% year-over-year backlog growth to close out the quarter. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1959, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rolling

• eye rolling
• get rolling
• get/set/start the ball rolling
• keep the ball rolling
• rolling boil
• rolling hitch
• rolling in (something)
• rolling in (the) dough
• rolling mill
• rolling pin
• rolling stock

Rhymes for rolling

• bowling
• coaling
• doling
• growling
• holing
• poling
• polling
• scrolling
• shoaling
• strolling
• tolling
• trolling

Kids Definition

rolling

adjective

roll·​ing

: not having or set to a fixed date or deadline

rolling admissions