Meaning & use
roster
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A list showing who belongs to a team or workforce, or who is assigned to which duties and at what times.
Grammar: Often followed by of or used before another noun: a roster of players, the staff roster.
Patterns
- on the roster
- a roster of something
The manager posted the weekend roster on the kitchen door.
Three new players joined the team's roster this season.
Her name is not on the roster for Friday.
verbtransitiveBritish
To put someone on a duty list or schedule, so that they work at a particular time.
Grammar: Takes an object, usually with on: roster nurses on for nights.
Patterns
- roster someone on
- roster someone for something
The hospital rosters extra staff on during winter.
I was rostered for the late shift again.
Word forms
| plural | rosters |
|---|---|
| third person singular | rosters |
| past tense | rostered |
| past participle | rostered |
| -ing form | rostering |
Common combinations
- a duty roster
- Check the duty roster to see when you are on call.
- the active roster
- He was moved to the active roster after his injury healed.
- a staff roster
- The staff roster changes every week.
- make the roster
- Only twelve players will make the roster.
- a roster of talent
- The agency has an impressive roster of talent.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: roster or rooster?
roster vs rooster
A male chicken; the spelling is close but the words are unrelated.
Practice
Our manager put up a new ___ showing who works each shift next week.
Choose one answer.
A roster lists people with their assigned duties and times. A register records names or attendance but does not usually assign shifts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “roster”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.