eye-rolling

noun

eye-roll·​ing ˈī-ˌrō-liŋ 

variants or less commonly eye rolling

: the action or gesture of turning the eyes upward as an expression of annoyance, exasperation, disbelief, etc. : the rolling of the eyes

Other news anchors read the news. Wilson instructed you. He gave you the impression he had some things to tell you, and you'd be wise to sit up, pipe down and pay attention. And, if it was one of those stories that piqued his ever-vigilant sense of outrage, there was likely to be eye-rolling, deep sighs, and even some head-shaking at the ridiculousness of it all.

—C. W. Nevius

We are out for lunch, waiting patiently for our food. We are probably discussing something important … Either way, when the food hits the table, I will shush you, I will move my plate to the part of the restaurant with the most natural light, and I will take a picture. No amount of eye rolling will make me feel remorse. You think I am a monster. You are wrong.

—Josh Scherer

Examples of eye-rolling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The TikTok of the transportation hearing was widely shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, often with laughing faces or eye-rolling emojis. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024

Jenna Ortega steals the show as the eye-rolling eldest daughter in this cheerful, breezy comedy. —Danny Horn, EW.com, 20 July 2024

All those years filled with too many losses and irrelevant seasons, so many false starts and eye-rolling moves, provided the perfect context to their smiles. —Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 1 July 2024

Her deadpan, eye-rolling ennui is perfect for the role of a drunken could-be widow whose innate cynicism has risen to the level of nihilism — not a big jump, given her circumstances. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 2024

Because no one gets more dire warnings, eye-rolling criticism or conflicting information thrown at them than parents. —Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024

But because the movie is anchored by three capable actors, our eye-rolling subsides quickly enough so that the rest of the film can intensify the nerve-jangling consequences of its reversal of fortunes. —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Showrooms across the globe play host to first dates, birthday parties, epic games, disco naps and an eye-rolling amount of pranks. —Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023

In Maya, there’s no trace of an eye-rolling 20-something embarrassed by her dad. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above