roll-on
adjective
packaged in a tubelike container one end of which is equipped with a rotating ball that dispenses and spreads the liquid content directly.
roll-on
American
[rohl-on, -awn]
/ ˈroʊlˌɒn, -ˌɔn /
adjective
noun
roll on
British
verb
adjective
noun
-
a woman's foundation garment, made of elasticized material and having no fastenings
-
a liquid cosmetic, esp a deodorant, packed in a container having an applicator consisting of a revolving ball
Etymology
Origin of roll-on
First recorded in 1945–50; adj., noun use of verb phrase roll on
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:
Take for instance roll-on roll-off ferries that typically carry passengers, trucks and cargo, but are now built to defense standards and train with the military.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025
The firm has issued a list of all the affected 100ml roll-on products.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
My signature scent is Palo Santo, the roll-on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2024
Ports in Charleston, Jacksonville, Fla., Newark and Norfolk, Va., can also handle roll-on, roll-off ships.
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2024
Farmer suggests purchasing small bottles or roll-on essential oils, because they’re portable.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 24, 2023
The saga continued to roll on as Shaw won individual accolades, including the WSL player of the season and Golden Boot.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
As he watched Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum roll on the floor gripping his ankle, O’Malley’s worst fear—and professional opinion—was that Tatum had torn his Achilles tendon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Göransson is on a roll, on track to win his third Oscar in this category, following “Black Panther” in 2019 and “Oppenheimer” in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
"You roll on to next week pretty quickly so getting a performance and win will really help how you're going to play the rest of the tournament."
From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026
In the daytime we went to the pool or to the movies or to the park to turn somersaults and roll on the grass.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
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.
