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:
But however perfect the name, it has nothing to do with some genius of a marketer marrying the then-new rock-’n’-roll craze with the old Victrola record player brand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
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
Cue the intro credits, and we smash cut to Buddy BeBop, an uncool high schooler with dreams of becoming a rock-’n’-roll musician.
From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2022
Reed was a legendary rock-’n’-roll badass: former frontman of the Velvet Underground, critically acclaimed solo artist, author of the 1970s hit “Walk on the Wild Side.”
From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2021
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
The prehistory of rock ‘n’ roll is full of names who might have become stars if they were gifted with his baby blues or discovered by a relentless schemer on the level Col.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
Right now, I’m sort of on my rock ‘n’ roll schedule, I tend to stay up pretty late at night anyway, and my wife has got a more normal schedule.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
I think about that aspect later in the evening during “Star 69,” which from the outside seems like a simple rock ‘n’ roll song, very loud guitar matched by breathless, insistent loud vocals.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
You don’t get more rock ’n’ roll than that.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
While I worked, I daydreamed about going to the Vets dances and played rock ’n’ roll tunes in my head.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
