roller coaster

¹ American  

noun

1. 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.

2. a car or train of cars for such a railroad.

3. any phenomenon, period, or experience of persistent or violent ups and downs, as one fluctuating between prosperity and recession or elation and despair.

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roller-coaster ² American  

[roh-ler-koh-ster, roh-li-] / ˈroʊ lərˌkoʊ stər, ˈroʊ lɪ- /

verb (used without object)

1. 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.

2. 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.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a roller coaster.

2. resembling the progress of a ride on a roller coaster in sudden extreme changeableness.

roller coaster British  

noun

1. another term for big dipper

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Etymology

Origin of roller coaster¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Origin of roller-coaster²

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

What followed was something of a real estate roller coaster that saw the home spinning on and off the market on several occasions, each time with a lower price tag.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

I’m not saying we’re actively rooting for McIlroy to blow it, but it’s always spicy when the roller coaster creaks and the leaderboard gets shifty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Opened on Dec. 31 as part of the Six Flags Qiddiya City theme park, the roller coaster ranks as the world’s fastest, tallest and longest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

“What is the space roller coaster of 2026? Space Mountain is a classic from back in the day,” he says, referring to the Disneyland Resort staple launched in 1977.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Make me feel like I’m on a roller coaster way he make his voice go.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett