roll·er-coast·er
ˈrō-lər-ˌkō-stər 
ˈrō-lə-ˌkō-
: marked by numerous ups and downs
an entertainer's roller-coaster career
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
Trefis Team, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Weather 'roller-coaster ride' is coming to Northeast The wintry mix and rain sweeping across the Northeast continued Monday as another run of bad weather was set to hit the region this week, meteorologists say.
—Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
When the students read their lines aloud, Hite compared one contribution to a roller coaster, and another student said that the same piece reminded her of someone who’d been in a car crash.
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for roller-coaster 
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Adjective
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, 17 Dec. 2024
Weather 'roller-coaster ride' is coming to Northeast The wintry mix and rain sweeping across the Northeast continued Monday as another run of bad weather was set to hit the region this week, meteorologists say.
—Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
Watch Video of Donald Trump's Reaction to Being Shot on Stage
By Newsweek Staff
66
2024 has been a roller coaster of news: from Donald Trump being shot at a campaign rally to Joe Biden pulling out of the presidential race, Newsweek writers give their verdicts on the defining moment of the year.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
When the students read their lines aloud, Hite compared one contribution to a roller coaster, and another student said that the same piece reminded her of someone who’d been in a car crash.
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for roller-coaster
Dictionary Entries Near roller-coaster
Cite this Entry
“Roller-coaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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