steamroller

1 of 2

noun

steam·​roll·​er ˈstēm-ˌrō-lər 

1

: a steam-driven road roller

broadly : road roller

2

: a crushing force especially when ruthlessly applied to overcome opposition

steamroller

2 of 2

verb

steam·​roll·​er ˈstēm-ˌrō-lər 

variants or steamroll

ˈstēm-ˌrōl 

steamrollered or steamrolled; steamrollering or steamrolling; steamrollers or steamrolls

transitive verb

1

: to overwhelm usually by greatly superior force

steamroller the opposition

2

: to bring or advance by overwhelming force or pressure

steamrollered the bill through the legislature

intransitive verb

: to move or proceed with irresistible force

Examples of steamroller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Once the steamrollers evened out the crushed limestone track, a final coat of a coal tar binding agent was applied and the track was ready for racing. —Dawn Mitchell, The Indianapolis Star, 22 May 2024

As a social-climbing hustler trying to gain access to an exclusive country club, Kristen Wiig plays Palm Royale’s Maxine like a steamroller. —Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2024

Verb

She’s been hip-checked, hammered, steamrollered and smothered. —Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2024

This is how an effort to reform Section 702 has quickly steamrollered into an expansion of the government’s surveillance powers. —Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1879, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

steamroller

noun

steam·​roll·​er

ˈstēm-ˈrō-lər

: a machine formerly driven by steam that has wide heavy rollers for pressing down and smoothing roads