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Glite Dictionary
💪 To overpower 🚜 To flatten
to steamroll

to steamroll

4.9
Make a surface flat using a heavy roller machine
  • verb
  • /ˈstiːmroʊl/
translation icon : nivelar
  • To prepare the parking lot, they decided to steamroll it for a level finish.

Examples

  • After the asphalt was poured, they needed to steamroll it to ensure a flat surface.

  • Ironically, the most lasting protection for Clipperton may come from the violent hurricanes that occasionally steamroll over the atoll.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The construction crew used the steamroller to steamroll the uneven road, making it smooth for drivers.

Synonyms

to level
vsto steamroll
81 3.7

To make land or a building flat with the ground

focuses on achieving flatness by passing a heavy drum machine over it
to flatten
vsto steamroll
23 2.6

Make something flat and smooth by pressing it

emphasizes doing this with a heavy drum machine
to roll out
vsto steamroll
8 3.4

To make something flat by unrolling it or using a roller

uses a much heavier machine with a large drum instead of that tool
to flatten out
vsto steamroll
5 3.4

To become flat and smooth after being uneven

describes the same result but using a heavy drum machine
to plane
vsto steamroll
1 7.5

To make a surface smooth by shaving thin layers of wood

achieves flatness by heavy mechanical pressing rather than fine shaving
to steamroller
vsto steamroll
5.2

To flatten a surface by passing a heavy roller over it

is the general method using that heavy drum machine
to level the ground
vsto steamroll
3.6

To make the ground flat for building or planting

is the same action but done using a heavy drum machine

Phrasal Verbs

to steamroll through
  • Informal
1 7.7

To get through something easily by pushing past people who are against you

to steamroll the discussion
  • Informal
8.7

To take control of a discussion and ignore other people's ideas

How Smooth

to pave
61 2.8
to steamroll
4.9
to level
81 3.7
to flatten
23 2.6
to scrape
62 1.2

Surface Forms

steamroll infinitive
steamrolled past
steamrolled past participle
steamrolling present participle
steamrolls third person singular

Morphology

steamroll = steamroller (transparent) = steam + roll

The literal action of the machine 'steamroller' maps directly to the verb meaning to flatten a surface.

Etymology

Steamroll comes from the machine steamroller, which used steam to move a heavy roller and make roads flat, so think of a big drum that smooths the ground. That's why to steamroll a surface is to make it level and smooth with that machine.