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.
That Jackson’s ascension by convention counts as normal is less a reflection of the process itself than a product of the preconvention roller coaster ride that brought Democrats to where they are now.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
And that’s on top of the emotional roller coaster.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
The group's performance reflects the roller coaster ride by cocoa prices over the past five years when it has been buffeted by wars, poor harvests and economic worries in key markets.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Obviously, I still have more to learn, but I think that was a big Saturn return for me, the roller coaster of it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
“Remember when we went on that roller coaster? Or that time I tried to teach you to play basketball?”
From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate
Confidence among German firms picked up a little this month as expectations for business climbed, though the roller-coaster ride of oil prices in recent weeks suggests that this recovery could be fragile.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Arista chief Clive Davis has survived a roller-coaster career to come out on top again.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
The team's roller-coaster run this season, with many dramatic wins secured in the final seconds, has reinforced that image.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
You get breakfast, lunch and dinner, with one alcoholic beverage at lunch and dinner, two $25 roller-coaster tickets and two tickets to select shows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
“You’ve sure got us on a roller-coaster ride today,” Gran says lightly.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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.
