Origin of steamroller

First recorded in 1865–70; steam + roller1

Words nearby steamroller

steamie, steaming, steampipe, steampunk, steamroll, steamroller, steamship, steamtight, steamy, steapsin, stear-

Words related to steamroller

overpower, overwhelm, force, defeat

Example sentences from the Web for steamroller

  • The Donald Trump steamroller got run off the road last week, and getting back on track may not be easy.

    The Trump Backlash Begins |Howard Kurtz |May 6, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

  • His hard lines and angles project the arrogance of a confidence man, or as Arlyn Imberman puts it, “a steamroller.”

    Bernie's John Hancock |Allan Dodds Frank |March 25, 2009 |DAILY BEAST

  • It was like getting a steamroller in motion to start Hickman.

    Pitching in a Pinch |Christy Mathewson

British Dictionary definitions for steamroller

steamroller

steam roller

/ (ˈstiːmˌrəʊlə) /

noun

  1. a steam-powered vehicle with heavy rollers at the front and rear used for compressing road surfaces during road-making
  2. another word for roadroller
  1. an overpowering force or a person with such force that overcomes all opposition
  2. (as modifier)steamroller tactics

verb

(tr) to crush (opposition, etc) by overpowering force