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🥁 Rapid drumbeats ⏩ Quick series 🥁 To play drumbeats
drumroll

drumroll

1 3.9
A quick series of announcements to build suspense
  • noun
  • /ˈdrʌmˌroʊl/
translation icon : redoble
  • The presenter paused for dramatic effect and said, "Now, for the big reveal, drumroll, please!"

And the answer is drumroll, please.

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Examples

  • As the final scores were tallied, a drumroll built anticipation in the audience.

  • Give the princess a drumroll!

    The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

  • And what better way to come back with none other than drumroll, please.

  • And the answer is drumroll, please.

    Rose Han

  • I can walk on water, I can fly all right, results are in drumroll, please.

  • And they found, drumroll please, no difference at all.

    Dr. Becky

  • Anyway, the winner is drumroll spiciest drama.

  • (Drumroll, please... shenanigans always deserve a good drumroll).

    Blog text (26)

  • Sparkle: A Novel is—insert funky Questlove drumroll, please—my 20th book!

    Blog text (31)

  • The investor group includes names like Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mcelhaney, Ava Longoria, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton and drumroll Scott Galloway.

Synonyms

roll
vsdrumroll
218 2.7

A long deep sound from drums or thunder

is a figurative quick series presenting items, not a natural continuous sound
drum roll
vsdrumroll
8 3.1

A quick, continuous beat on a drum that builds suspense before an important moment

is used figuratively as a quick sequence of items to build suspense
drumbeat
vsdrumroll
4 1.6

A repeated sound made by hitting a drum

is a figurative rapid list of items rather than a simple repeated sound

How Fast

barrage
35 6.8
burst
22 5.6
drumroll
1 3.9

Surface Forms

drumroll singular
drumrolls plural

Morphology

drumroll = drum + roll (semi-transparent) = drum + roll

Meaning is a metaphorical extension from the literal drum sequence to a rapid series of events; components are clear but the usage is figurative.

Etymology

Drumroll for events uses the same idea as the drum sound: think drum + roll, with the 'roll' meaning a fast, repeating sound. A helpful way to remember this is that a drumroll of announcements is a quick set of items presented one after another to build suspense.