verb
Meaning 1
To flatten, as if with a steamroller.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
steamroll
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈstiːmˌɹoʊl/
verb
Meaning 2
To ruthlessly crush or overwhelm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
- I tried to participate in a sports tournament, but got steamrolled by the better players there.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
make level or flat with a steamroller
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- steamroll the roads
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: steamroller
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: flatten
verb
Meaning 4
overwhelm by using great force
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- steamroller the opposition
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: steamroller
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: overpower, overmaster, overwhelm
verb
Meaning 5
proceed with great force
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The new teacher tends to steamroller
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: steamroller
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: go, proceed, move
verb
Meaning 6
bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The Senator steamrollered the bill to defeat
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: steamroller
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure, force
History
Etymology
From steam + roll.
Across languages
Translations
14 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afrikaans: stoomroller — to flatten
- Catalan: aplanar — to flatten
- Dutch: walsen — to flatten
- Estonian: tasandama — to flatten
- Estonian: siluma — to flatten
- Finnish: jyrätä — to flatten
- German: plattwalzen — to flatten
- German: plattmachen — to flatten
- German: niederwalzen — to flatten
- Spanish: pasar el rodillo — to flatten
- Catalan: esclafar — to crush ruthlessly
- Estonian: lömastama — to crush ruthlessly
- Finnish: jyrätä — to crush ruthlessly
- German: plattmachen — to crush ruthlessly