a small gravity railroad, especially in an amusement park, having a train with open cars that moves along a high, sharply winding trestle built with steep inclines that produce sudden, speedy plunges for thrill-seeking passengers.
a car or train of cars for such a railroad.
any phenomenon, period, or experience of persistent or violent ups and downs, as one fluctuating between prosperity and recession or elation and despair.
to go up and down like a roller coaster; rise and fall.
a narrow road roller-coastering around the mountain; a light boat roller-coastering over the waves.
to experience a period of prosperity, happiness, security, or the like, followed by a contrasting period of economic depression, despair, or the like.
The economy was roller-coastering throughout most of the decade.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a roller coaster.
resembling the progress of a ride on a roller coaster in sudden extreme changeableness.
First recorded in 1885–90
First recorded in 1960–65
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s a good way to put yourself on an emotional roller coaster and a bad way to learn anything definitive about what’s coming tonight.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
Six Flags has operated the Goliath roller coaster near Atlanta for two decades, propelling thrill-seekers along tubes of American-made steel at 70 miles an hour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
The incident comes just weeks after one of its parks in southern California announced it would close the popular X2 roller coaster after more than 100 people alleged brain injuries from the ride.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
A fatal accident on a Six Flags Entertainment roller coaster sent shares of the amusement-park operator on Tuesday near the lowest level of the year.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
My stomach dropped like it did when I rode a roller coaster.
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
Semiconductors and other AI hardware names have been on a roller-coaster ride since the second half of 2026 began, after scoring monster gains during the first six months of the year.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
Three years later, Kane and Abel, a ripping page-turner about the roller-coaster financial fortunes of two men who initially shared nothing but a date of birth, flew off the shelves.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
But investors are still waiting for Argentina's roller-coaster economy to "prove that what it's doing will actually be sustainable over time," economist Marcelo Elizondo told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
You can’t help but analyze the roller-coaster ride we’re all on: the art form we love within an industry that it necessitates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
“You’ve sure got us on a roller-coaster ride today,” Gran says lightly.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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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.
