What it means
An eye-roll is that silent, withering flick of the eyes up to the ceiling that says you find something stupid, annoying or beneath you, all without a single word. Teenagers have made it an art form, but anyone can deploy one at a bad pun or an obvious lie. It's contempt, boredom or here-we-go-again, delivered in half a second.
Usage examples
"I asked if he'd done the dishes and got nothing but an eye-roll."
"Every time Dad makes that joke, the whole table does a synchronised eye-roll."
"She said crystals fixed her Wi-Fi and I just hit her with an eye-roll."
"Mum saw the state of my room and gave me the slowest eye-roll known to mankind."
Where it comes from
It’s a literal label for the gesture itself, built from eye and roll. The phrase has been around in English for ages, and by the late 20th century it was firmly established in everyday speech for that quick upward look that broadcasts annoyance, disbelief, or pure fed-up energy without saying a word.
