Definition

Noun: 1. An amusement park ride: A ride, typically at an amusement park, consisting of a light railroad track with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions, on which cars move. 2. A situation characterized by abrupt, extreme, and repeated changes: Anything that involves a rapid, unpredictable succession of rises and falls, such as emotions, experiences, or economic conditions.

Examples

• Noun (Amusement Ride):
  • The children waited in line for an hour to ride the new roller coaster.
  • That roller coaster has three loops and a 90-degree drop.
• Noun (Situation of Change):
  • Their relationship has been an emotional roller coaster.
  • The stock market has been a roller coaster this week.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on a roller coaster": To be experiencing a period of many sudden and extreme changes.
  • Investors have been on a roller coaster as news about the company changes daily.
• "roller-coaster ride": Used as a compound adjective to describe an experience full of ups and downs.
  • It's been a roller-coaster ride of emotions since the project began.

Variants and Related Words

• Roller-coaster (adjective): Describing something that has many sudden and extreme changes.
  • The team had a roller-coaster season, winning ten games but losing nine.
• Coaster: A small mat placed under a glass. (Note: This is a different, unrelated word).

Synonyms

• For the ride: Big dipper (British English), thrill ride.
• For the situation: Whirlwind, turbulence, upheaval, seesaw.

Related Idioms

• A wild ride: A very exciting or turbulent experience.
  • Starting a new business has been a wild ride.
• Ups and downs: Periods of good and bad fortune.
  • Every marriage has its ups and downs.

Noun

1. elevated railway in an amusement park (usually with sharp curves and steep inclines)
2. anything characterized by abrupt and extreme changes (especially up and down)
   • the economy has been on a roller coaster all year