on a roll

Idioms  

1. On a streak of success or intense activity, as in The team's scored three runs in the last inning and they're really on a roll, or Once the experiment succeeded, Tim was on a roll. This slangy term, alluding to the momentum in the act of rolling, dates from the second half of the 1900s, but roll alone has been used in this sense since the early 1800s.

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Example Sentences

The actor is feeling like he's on a roll after playing a comedic role in last year's box office hit, "A Minecraft Movie," which he starred in with Jack Black.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Jake's prediction: Everton can be tough to break down but City are on a roll now.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 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

But you have an extra $500 lying around, and you think Apple is on a roll, so you go for it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

He was on a roll, and I was ready to roll with him.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos