rock-'n'-roll
noun
a style of popular music that derives in part from blues and folk music and is marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple, repetitive phrase structure.
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rock-'n'-roll
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rock 'n' roll
rock 'n' rollPopular music combining elements of blues (or rhythm and blues), gospel music, and country and western music, and known for its strong beat and urgent lyrics. Well-known early, pioneering rock 'n' roll artists or groups include Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, the Supremes, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley.
rock-'n'-roll
American
[rok-uhn-rohl]
/ ˈrɒk ənˈroʊl /
Or
rock-and-roll,
noun
adjective
verb (used without object)
rock 'n' roll
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rock-'n'-roll
1950–55; contraction of phrase rock and roll; see rock 2
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.
See Examples For:
On Saturday another will make their mark on Slane's rock-'n'-roll history spanning 40 years as headliner Harry Styles gears up to entertain a crowd of 80,000 for his sold-out show.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2023
Our trip to Langara this summer was marked by 25-mile-an-hour westerly winds, adding a rock-’n’-roll beat to the rhythm of our fishing boat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2018
Burning Guitars’ collection was bold, brash and too over-the-top for anyone but a rock-‘n’-roll frontman, while Datari Austin used fabrics that came across as a little blasé and — dare we say — cheap.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2017
Julia, I’m curious what you think of Peggy’s rock-’n’-roll entrance to McCann, which reminded me of this and was indisputably awesome.
From Slate ● May 4, 2015
The festival’s official centerpiece, “Not Fade Away” — the much-anticipated feature film debut of David Chase, who created “The Sopranos” — is a vigorous rock-’n’-roll coming-of-age movie.
From New York Times ● Oct. 2, 2012
The set consisted of songs they had written themselves, including Stone Cold Crazy and Son and Daughter, as well as rock 'n' roll covers.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The result is an album that he says is "absolutely pure rock 'n' roll".
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Although the hostility between the two brothers was the stuff of rock ’n’ roll legend, the movie suggests that arenas full of adoration ultimately softened both men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Hosted by Grand Performances in DTLA, the Aug. 22 tribute night will feature archival footage and conversations with family members to discuss the teenage star’s identity and belonging in rock ‘n’ roll history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Part of her wanted to kiss Duff McAvoy, the tortured British trust-fund- runaway-turned-pirate-of-necessity who loved rock ’n’ roll and mouthy-but-vulnerable bass-playing girls from New Hampshire.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
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.
