roost

1 of 2

noun

ˈrüst

Synonyms of roost

: a support on which birds rest

: a place where winged animals and especially birds customarily roost

: a group of birds roosting together

roost

2 of 2

verb

roosted; roosting; roosts

intransitive verb

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch

: to settle oneself as if on a roost

transitive verb

: to supply a roost for or put to roost

Synonyms of roost

Relevance

Verb

perch
land

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Verb Pigeons roost on the building's ledge. pigeons flying home to roost on the roof

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Noun

Kimmel recently signed a surprising one-year deal with Disney that will keep him on his after-hours roost though 2027. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 Other common reasons include leaving a window open, a cat or dog bringing a bat inside, vegetation blocking the entrance to a bat’s usual roost, or a colony being excluded from its roost and searching for shelter, Donnelly explains. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 1 Aug. 2026

Verb

But a top air carrier out of the market recently raised fuel surcharges, suggesting the fuel price hikes will come home to roost. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 3 Aug. 2026 Bottom line Edmonton’s practice of trading first-round draft picks comes home to roost by 2031. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for roost

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hrōst; akin to Old Saxon hrōst attic

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of roost was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Roost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roost. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

roost

1 of 2 noun

ˈrüst

: a support on which birds rest

: a place where birds often roost

roost

2 of 2 verb

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch

roost

noun

verb

Synonyms of roost

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition

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roost

noun

verb

Synonyms of roost

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing roost

Rhymes for roost

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on roost

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nurture

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

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Popular

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Games & Quizzes