Meaning & use
steamrolling
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“steamrolling” is a form of “steamroll”.
Meanings
noununcountabledisapproving
The act of forcing your own plans or opinions on others without listening to them or considering their feelings.
Grammar: Used as a noun, often after verbs like 'be', 'call', or 'accuse someone of': This is steamrolling.
Patterns
- accuse someone of steamrolling
- this is steamrolling
Her constant steamrolling in meetings made the junior staff stop sharing ideas.
The counselor described his behavior as steamrolling, because he never asked what she wanted.
Steamrolling in a relationship can make the other person feel invisible.
adjectivebefore a noundisapproving
Behaving in a way that pushes other people aside and refuses to consider their wishes.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a steamrolling boss, a steamrolling attitude. It describes the person or their behavior.
Patterns
- a steamrolling boss
- a steamrolling attitude
He has a steamrolling style of leadership that leaves no room for debate.
She did not want to seem like a steamrolling parent, so she asked her son what he preferred.
Their steamrolling approach to the project upset the whole team.
verbtransitive or intransitivedisapproving
Present participle of 'steamroll': to force something through by ignoring opposition.
Grammar: As a verb, it takes an object or stands alone: They steamrolled the plan through. / He kept steamrolling.
Patterns
- steamroll something through
- steamroll over someone
The committee is steamrolling the new rules through without any public discussion.
She felt he was steamrolling over her opinions again.
They are steamrolling ahead with the merger despite the complaints.
Word forms
| base form | steamroll |
|---|---|
| third person singular | steamrolls |
| past tense | steamrolled |
| past participle | steamrolled |
| -ing form | steamrolling |
Common combinations
- steamrolling over someone
- He kept steamrolling over her during the negotiation.
- steamrolling behavior
- The therapist pointed out his steamrolling behavior.
- accuse someone of steamrolling
- She accused him of steamrolling whenever they disagreed.
- constant steamrolling
- Constant steamrolling can destroy trust in a team.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bulldozing
- Very similar, but 'bulldozing' suggests more aggressive, forceful removal of obstacles; 'steamrolling' often focuses on ignoring feelings.
- domineering
- Describes a person's general character of controlling others; 'steamrolling' is more about a specific action of pushing a plan through.
- railroading
- Similar in meaning, but often used for rushing a decision or process through without proper procedure; 'steamrolling' can also refer to personal relationships.
Opposites
Word family
- steamroll verb
- To force something through by ignoring opposition.
- steamroller noun
- A heavy vehicle with a large roller, used for flattening roads; also a person who steamrolls.
- steamrolled adjective
- Describes someone who has been overwhelmed or forced to accept something.
Commonly confused: steamrolling or steamrolling (literal)?
steamrolling vs steamrolling (literal)
The literal meaning is using a steamroller to flatten a surface; the psychological meaning is figurative and disapproving.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'steamrolling' correctly in a psychological sense?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 uses 'steamrolling' figuratively to mean forcing her own way and ignoring others, which is the psychological sense. The other options use the literal meaning of flattening with a steamroller.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “steamrolling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.