roller-coaster

1 of 2

adjective

roll·​er-coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 

ˈrō-lə-ˌkō-

: marked by numerous ups and downs

an entertainer's roller-coaster career

roller coaster

2 of 2

noun

roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 

ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-

1

: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) constructed with sharp curves and steep inclines on which cars roll

2

: something resembling a roller coaster

especially : behavior, events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes

an emotional roller coaster

Examples of roller-coaster in a Sentence

Noun

We went for a ride on the roller coaster.

The divorce was an emotional roller coaster for both of them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And as a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics. —Trefis Team, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The cousins’ eventual arrival at the home Grandma Dory left behind to escape the Nazis is handled in a way that’s unsentimental yet also credible and thoroughly touching, with a gentle twist that nicely serves the arc of David and Benji’s roller-coaster relationship. —Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024

Noun

The talk was a roller coaster that created some truly meaningful conversation. —Csaba Toth, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

Some parts of the fair are geared for kids, others for a mixed crowd, like the pirate ship and roller coasters. —Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1940, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

roller coaster

noun

roll·​er coast·​er ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 

ˈrō-lē-ˌkō-

: an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) with sharp curves and steep slopes on which cars roll