roister

Definition of roisternext
as in to carouse
to take part in drunken revelry the earl's wastrel son had spent the best part of his youth roistering and gambling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of roister One of his sons, Thomas (Dean-Charles Chapman), though hardly old enough to be in long pants, wears shining armor, while the other son, Hal (Timothée Chalamet), is a slouch who wastes his life in roistering. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roister
Verb
  • The team were meek in defeat, but after a weekend carousing and communing in central London, Newcastle fans arrived at Wembley with a collective hangover.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
  • But that doesn’t add much beyond three crusty Báthory ancestors carousing drunkenly in their coffins.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • One night, at a house party, John and I ended up in the back yard, drinking beer.
    Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Younger consumers are drinking more deliberately, agreed Caroline Begley, vice president of marketing for Pernod Ricard USA in New York City.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Our friends converted their 400-person reception hall wedding into a spirited dance party at their home, with small groups of well-wishers, each small enough to fit into their bomb shelter, taking turns reveling.
    Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The team is set to revel at E11EVEN MIAMI nightclub later in the night.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • While the details of the threat facing humanity are new to this story, moviegoers are used to bingeing on popcorn while watching a heroic quest to save the Earth from certain doom.
    Scott Solomon, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
  • In 1945, Claire and Frank finally take a real honeymoon in Inverness, where Claire basically binges info on Scottish Highlander history and the Battle of Culloden thanks to Frank nerding out.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead.
    Douglas Stuart, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2020
  • In some parts of the United States, birling contests are annual events.
    Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2019
Verb
  • Some speculate that wassailing predates Christianity in the region; others note its association with the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 24 Dec. 2025
  • In addition to the live music in Caldwell Hall, there's also an opportunity to join an English tradition: wassailing around the apple tree, a ritual to inspire a bountiful harvest in the year ahead.
    Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 19 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Roister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roister. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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