What does "roller" mean?
Anything that rolls.; Any rotating cylindrical device that is part of a machine, especially one used to apply or reduce pressure.
Roller
/ˈɹəʊlə/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Anything that rolls.; Any rotating cylindrical device that is part of a machine, especially one used to apply or reduce pressure.
- Grammar: roller is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abradant, abrasive, ace bandage, adhesive tape.
- Useful contrasts: paint sprayer, paintbrush, stator.
- Usage evidence: I can't keep this up. It's an emotional roller coaster around here and all we have to do is look at the boss's face to know whether everybody is going to be happy or sad.
How to use "roller"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "roller" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "roller" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "roller" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "roller" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "roller" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abradant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "roller", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Anything that rolls.; Any rotating cylindrical device that is part of a machine, especially one used to apply or reduce pressure.
- 2 A Rolls-Royce car slang
"Only I thought private eyes were supposed to be discreet; you could hardly call yourself that when you drive a Roller."
- 3 a grounder that rolls along the infield wordnet
- 4 Anything that rolls.; A cylindrical (or approximately cylindrical) item used under a heavy object to facilitate moving it; usually several are needed.
- 5 pigeon that executes backward somersaults in flight or on the ground wordnet
Show 29 more definitions
- 6 Anything that rolls.; A person who rolls something, such as cigars or molten metal.
- 7 Old World bird that tumbles or rolls in flight; related to kingfishers wordnet
- 8 Anything that rolls.; A large rolling device used to flatten a grass surface; commonly in relation to a cricket pitch.
- 9 a mechanical device consisting of a cylindrical tube around which the hair is wound to curl it wordnet
- 10 Anything that rolls.; A cylindrical tool for applying paint or ink.
"The deposit of color on the stone is transmitted to the metal by the lithographic roller the same as for paper."
- 11 a cylinder that revolves wordnet
- 12 Anything that rolls.; An agricultural machine used for flattening land and breaking up lumps of earth.
- 13 a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate) wordnet
- 14 Anything that rolls.; One of a set of small cylindrical tubes used to curl hair.
- 15 a long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore wordnet
- 16 Anything that rolls.; A roller towel.
- 17 Anything that rolls.; A small wheel, as of a caster, a roller skate, etc.
"The cable used for hauling the wagons on the incline may still be seen, but several of the guiding rollers have disappeared."
- 18 Anything that rolls.; A rolling element inside a roller bearing: a small cylinder or sphere of metal.
- 19 Anything that rolls.; One of a set of rolling cylinders allowing a rider to practise balance while training indoors.
- 20 Anything that rolls.; Any insect whose larva rolls up leaves, especially those in family Tortricidae.
- 21 Anything that rolls.; A dung beetle that rolls dung into balls.
- 22 Anything that rolls.; A cylinder snakes, small ground snakes of the genus Cylindrophis.
- 23 Anything that rolls.; A rolling pin
- 24 Anything that rolls.; A throw which involves the player throwing the disc in a way that makes it roll, by that being able to travel further than if thrown in the air. Only used on holes with open areas with short or no grass.
"He threw a beautiful roller that cut the corner perfectly and stopped just outside the circle."
- 25 A long wide bandage used in surgery.
- 26 A large, wide, curling wave that falls back on itself as it breaks on a coast.
"He and Gerald usually challenged the rollers in a sponson canoe when Gerald was there for the weekend ; or, when Lansing came down, the two took long swims seaward or cruised about in Gerald's dory, clad in their swimming-suits ; and Selwyn's youth became renewed in a manner almost ridiculous,[…]."
- 27 A bird.; A breed or variety of roller pigeon that rolls (i.e. tumbles or somersaults) backwards (compare Penson roller, Birmingham roller, tumbler).
- 28 A bird.; Any of various aggressive birds, of the family Coraciidae, having bright blue wings and hooked beaks.
- 29 A police patrol car or patrolman (rather than an unmarked police car or a detective)
- 30 A padded surcingle that is used on horses for training and vaulting.
- 31 A roll of titles or (especially) credits played over film or video; television or film credits.
"I learned a lot from watching, but the part that I should have studied harder was the roller. The names of the writers went on for ever."
- 32 A wheelchair user. slang
- 33 A Rolls-Royce motorcar. informal, slang
- 34 A type break that consists of drum rolls; a drum and bass track made with such breaks. slang
Verb
- 1 To roller skate. intransitive
"One day Frankie rollered up our drive and asked me if I fancied a skate."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I can't keep this up. It's an emotional roller coaster around here and all we have to do is look at the boss's face to know whether everybody is going to be happy or sad."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "roller"?
Common synonyms include: abradant, abrasive, ace bandage, adhesive tape, application, band.
How do you use "roller" in a sentence?
I can't keep this up. It's an emotional roller coaster around here and all we have to do is look at the boss's face to know whether everybody is going to be happy or sad.
How do you pronounce "roller"?
Pronounced /ˈɹəʊlə/.
Etymology
* From Middle English rollere, equivalent to roll + -er. * (credits in TV or film): These were originally printed on a physical cylinder that was rotated in front of the camera.