Roster

/ˈɹɒs.tə/ name, noun, verb

name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A list of individuals or groups, usually for an organization of some kind such as military officers and enlisted personnel enrolled in a particular unit; a muster roll; a sports team, with the names of players who are eligible to be placed in the lineup for a particular game; or a list of students officially enrolled in a school or class.
  • Grammar: roster is listed as name, noun, verb.
  • Nearest alternatives: roll, rotation, account, agenda.
  • Useful contrasts: disorganization, exclude, omit.
  • Usage evidence: The teacher checks the class roster.

How to use "roster"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "roster" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. 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 "roster" 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 "roster" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "roster" 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 "roster" is acting as name, noun, verb 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 "roll" 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 "roster", 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. 1
    A list of individuals or groups, usually for an organization of some kind such as military officers and enlisted personnel enrolled in a particular unit; a muster roll; a sports team, with the names of players who are eligible to be placed in the lineup for a particular game; or a list of students officially enrolled in a school or class.

    "I'm number 12 on the roster for tonight's game."

  2. 2
    a list of names wordnet
  3. 3
    A list of the jobs to be performed by members of an organization and often with the date and time that they are expected to perform them.

    "The secretary has produced a new cleaning roster for the Church over the remainder of the year."

  4. 4
    A schedule or timetable setting out shift times and dates for each employee of a business.

    "Before uni starts check your work roster with your uni schedule to make sure there are no clashes with your classes."

  5. 5
    A bracketed list that shows the elements of a set.
Verb
  1. 1
    To place the name of (a person) on a roster. transitive

    "I have rostered you for cleaning duties on the first Monday of each month."

  2. 2
    To show the elements of a set by listing them inside brackets. transitive
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname

Example

"The teacher checks the class roster."

Common questions

What does "roster" mean?

A list of individuals or groups, usually for an organization of some kind such as military officers and enlisted personnel enrolled in a particular unit; a muster roll; a sports team, with the names of players who are eligible to be placed in the lineup for a particular game; or a list of students officially enrolled in a school or class.

What is a synonym for "roster"?

Common synonyms include: roll, rotation, account, agenda, allocate, annals.

How do you use "roster" in a sentence?

The teacher checks the class roster.

How do you pronounce "roster"?

Pronounced /ˈɹɒs.tə/.

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch rooster (“gridiron, table, list”), from Middle Dutch roosten (“to roast”). More at roast.

More for "roster"