roasting: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to informal (in the critical sense). Technical in cooking contexts.
Quick answer
What does “roasting” mean?
the action of cooking something (especially meat) in an oven or over a fire.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
the action of cooking something (especially meat) in an oven or over a fire.
Severe criticism or reprimand; a harsh verbal attack. Also, experiencing intense heat or warmth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb 'to roast' is standard for cooking in both. The informal critical sense ('to get a roasting') is more common in British English. 'Roasting' (as an adjective for hot weather) is common in UK informal speech.
Connotations
In culinary contexts, neutral. In informal contexts, the critical sense is strong, implying a thorough, often public, humiliation.
Frequency
The critical sense (noun) is significantly more frequent in British corpora. The adjective use for hot weather ('a roasting hot day') is also more common in BrE.
Grammar
How to Use “roasting” in a Sentence
give [IND-OBJ] a roasting (for/about [TOPIC])get a roasting (from [AGENT])[SUBJ] be roasting (hot)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “roasting” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We're roasting a chicken for Sunday lunch.
- He got absolutely roasted by the panel on Question Time.
American English
- She's roasting vegetables with olive oil.
- The comedian roasted the celebrity guest with good-natured jokes.
adverb
British English
- The room was roasting hot.
American English
- The comedian was roasting funny last night.
adjective
British English
- Close the curtains, it's roasting in here.
- We sat in the roasting sun for hours.
American English
- It's roasting hot in Arizona in July.
- He faced roasting criticism from the press.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Informal: 'The CEO gave the marketing team a roasting after the failed campaign.'
Academic
Rare; mostly in culinary science or metallurgy ('the roasting of ores').
Everyday
Cooking: 'The roasting smells delicious.' Weather: 'It's roasting outside!' Criticism: 'My boss gave me a real roasting.'
Technical
Culinary arts (cooking method), Metallurgy (process of heating ore), Coffee production (bean processing).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “roasting”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “roasting”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “roasting”
- Using 'roasting' for shallow frying. Using the critical sense in overly formal contexts. Confusing 'roasting' (dry heat) with 'braising' (moist heat).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the primary meaning is culinary, it is commonly used metaphorically to mean harsh criticism and informally to describe very hot weather or a hot room.
Roasting typically uses indirect, dry heat in an oven (e.g., roast beef). Grilling (UK)/Broiling (US) uses direct, high radiant heat from above or below (e.g., grilled cheese). In the US, 'grilling' often means cooking on a barbecue grate.
It is strong and informal. It implies a lengthy, severe, often angry or humiliating verbal attack, stronger than 'telling off' and similar to 'lambasting'.
Yes, informally, especially in British English. It means 'very hot,' as in 'a roasting summer day' or 'This room is roasting.' It functions as a gradable adjective ('absolutely roasting').
the action of cooking something (especially meat) in an oven or over a fire.
Roasting is usually neutral to informal (in the critical sense). technical in cooking contexts. in register.
Roasting: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrəʊstɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈroʊstɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Give someone a roasting”
- “Come in for a roasting”
- “A roasting hot day”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ROSTER (list) of people waiting to be cooked or criticized — both are a ROASTING.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRITICISM IS COOKING / HEAT (e.g., 'He got roasted,' 'a scorching review,' 'a heated argument').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'roasting' LEAST likely to be used?