as in plump
having an excess of body fat
a roly-poly baby who grew into a slender child
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Recent Examples of roly-poly
Every few weeks a letter or phone call requesting a conference with Zilpha and Jaron came from Mr. Darwin, the school resource manager, a roly-poly man with a lovely voice.
—
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
But like a roly-poly, the gömböc is round in places.
—Elise Cutts, Wired News, 10 Aug. 2025
Regardless of what they’re called, most people know exactly what an armadillo looks like, with its roly-poly armored form and weird shuffling walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Imagine instead your mother’s delight in you as a baby, in all your sweet-smelling, roly-poly nudeness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
People were bamboozled by the roly-poly big-eyed cuteness — such clips have drawn in millions of viewers.
—Brian Munoz, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Imagine a pale roly-poly the size of a muskrat wandering the seafloor.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
All of them opted for the adorably roly-poly breed of French bulldog.
—Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
The same whimsy that makes roly-poly Santa cookies special is what makes the now-classic Santa mug trend a must-try this holiday season.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2024
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
But like a roly-poly, the gömböc is round in places.
—Elise Cutts, Wired News, 10 Aug. 2025
Regardless of what they’re called, most people know exactly what an armadillo looks like, with its roly-poly armored form and weird shuffling walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Imagine instead your mother’s delight in you as a baby, in all your sweet-smelling, roly-poly nudeness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
People were bamboozled by the roly-poly big-eyed cuteness — such clips have drawn in millions of viewers.
—Brian Munoz, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Imagine a pale roly-poly the size of a muskrat wandering the seafloor.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
All of them opted for the adorably roly-poly breed of French bulldog.
—Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
The same whimsy that makes roly-poly Santa cookies special is what makes the now-classic Santa mug trend a must-try this holiday season.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roly-poly
Adjective
-
This viral scientific mission even included a plump starfish resembling a beloved cartoon character.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Nurtured the little green balls into plump, juicy fruits.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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So people call me fat and ugly and old-looking, but that’s nothing to do with me.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Key Takeaways White bread is made with refined flour and is relatively high in carbohydrates and calories and low in fiber, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Yoo wears round wire-frame glasses and sweeps his dark hair back; Schat describes herself as a tomboy and keeps her hair in a pixie cut.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
-
As Jack Draper stepped up to serve in the third set of his US Open first round match against Federico Agustín Gómez on Monday, the British star threw up on court.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roly-poly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roly-poly. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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