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Synonyms

rollicking

American  
[rol-i-king] / ˈrɒl ɪ kɪŋ /

adjective

  1. carefree and joyous.

    They had a rollicking good time.

    Synonyms:
    exuberant, gay, merry, hearty, jolly
  2. swaggering; boisterous.


rollicking 1 British  
/ ˈrɒlɪkɪŋ /

adjective

  1. boisterously carefree and swaggering

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rollicking 2 British  
/ ˈrɒlɪkɪŋ /

noun

  1. informal a very severe telling-off; dressing-down

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of rollicking

First recorded in 1805–15; rollick + -ing 2

Explanation

Something that's rollicking is really fun and playful. When you throw a party, you hope your friends will describe it as rollicking. Parties with live music and great food are usually rollicking, and a wonderful game of charades with your family can also be rollicking. You might even describe a funny movie or a song you can dance to this way. The root of rollicking is a nineteenth century verb that we don't use much these days, rollick, "to behave exuberantly." It, in turn, is most likely a combination of frolic and roll.

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Vocabulary lists containing rollicking

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:

Created by Guy Ritchie, it’s rollicking, violent and darkly funny — and Ritchie’s best work since the days of “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch.”

From MarketWatch Aug. 31, 2026

It’s a rollicking scene-setter that conveys everything that works on the record as well as a few elements that don’t.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 14, 2026

The first half of 2026 comes to a close on Tuesday, and with it, another rollicking stretch for the U.S. equity market.

From MarketWatch Jun. 30, 2026

“Is God Is” isn’t the kind of rollicking free-for-all that will have you cheering in the theater.

From Los Angeles Times May 15, 2026

She helped military families and defense workers find suitable places to live, played the piano during the USO’s rollicking singalongs, and coordinated a calendar of Girl Scout troop meetings and military rallies.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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