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Synonyms

bankroll

American  
[bangk-rohl] / ˈbæŋkˌroʊl /

noun

  1. money in one's possession; monetary resources.

verb (used with object)

  1. Informal. to finance; provide funds for.

    to bankroll a new play.
bankroll British  
/ ˈbæŋkˌrəʊl /

noun

  1. a roll of currency notes

  2. the financial resources of a person, organization, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. slang (tr) to provide the capital for; finance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • bankroller noun

Etymology

Origin of bankroll

First recorded in 1885–90; bank 2 + roll

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Big Tech has the balance sheets and the electricity addiction to bankroll what the U.S. government has spent 50 years failing to do.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

The universe of people willing and able to bankroll that — and who had control of an NFL team — was tiny.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

When giant retailers showed interest in carrying their product, they went hunting for capital and raised another $30 million just in time to bankroll holiday orders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025

Back in 2015, a $200 bankroll could be neatly divided into 40 different wagers.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

She offered him another five dollars if he went back, and he built a small bankroll until he couldn’t deny he had found a true passion.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.