rock 1 of 3

Definition of rocknext
slang
as in gem
a usually valuable stone cut and polished for ornament a trophy wife with enough rocks to open her own jewelry store

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rock

2 of 3

verb

1
2
as in to shake
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the drunk rocked on his heels for a moment and then fell flat on his back

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

rock

3 of 3

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rock different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rock are agitate, convulse, and shake. While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval.

the whole city was rocked by the explosion

When could agitate be used to replace rock?

The synonyms agitate and rock are sometimes interchangeable, but agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring.

an ocean agitated by storms

Where would convulse be a reasonable alternative to rock?

In some situations, the words convulse and rock are roughly equivalent. However, convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm.

spectators were convulsed with laughter

When is it sensible to use shake instead of rock?

The meanings of shake and rock largely overlap; however, shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose.

shake well before using

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rock
Noun
For fans, the first listen was like a hard-rock cold plunge. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2026 The festival hosts acts covering pop, EDM, rock, bluegrass, hip-hop and many genres in between. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
Verb
Andra Day rocks denim trousers to the Inside the Afties event presented by Amazon Music during the Cannes Lions Festival in France on June 24. Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 In photos from the spread by photographer Rafael Pavarotti shared on Instagram, Madonna rocks a pale pink corset over a white leotard that peeks out the bottom and top. Meg Walters, InStyle, 29 June 2026
Adjective
As the quartet builds toward a post-rock crescendo and a wistful, snowcapped outro that’s lightly accompanied by the sound of children on a playground, Kinsella and his bandmates spin the narrative in a kaleidoscopic language all their own. Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026 An old soul with with a huge, commanding voice, his catalog hovers between the orchestral swoon of pre-rock ballads, the pristine melodies of Anita Baker and the rangy, resilient yearning of his hometown’s soul tradition. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rock
Noun
  • On the New Jersey artist’s debut album, a steady stream of screwball ideas coalesce into unexpectedly existential laptop twee gems.
    Nick Ayres DeMasi, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • The design features an array of glittery gems across the straps.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies' management decisions, efficiency and financials.
    Liz Knueven, CNBC, 1 July 2026
  • Socially aware quasi-outsider Dustin (Zac Looker) will take a second longer to sway.
    Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Hernández said Rossi Ydrogo had just called his brother in Caracas 20 minutes before the earth started to shake.
    Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • In Venezuela, rescue teams have been racing against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble after two powerful earthquakes shook the northern state of La Guaira last Wednesday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The unusual attack Monday night stunned the elite principality on the Mediterranean Coast.
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • The South American side stunned four-time world champions Germany 4-3 on penalties after the teams were tied 1-1 following extra time on Monday, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
    Reuters, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • But perhaps Modrić and Croatia can surprise everyone and make one more run.
    Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • Ahead of the film’s world premiere at Karlovy Vary, Mack talked to THR about the inspiration for A Happy Family, wanting to surprise audiences and create debate, and why complexity and hope are such key ingredients.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • During Vargas Llosa’s lifetime, his political beliefs underwent extreme changes, from supporting Castro’s revolutionary Communism to championing traditional European liberalism, which included an adamantine belief in unregulated markets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Still, Naz, whose solitary ways confuse his family, very much wishes that Aziza wasn’t meeting his adamantine mother, Claudine (LaTanya Richardson Jackson), or his famous father, or his ex-state-senator older brother, Junior (Glenn Davis), recently incarcerated for embezzling campaign funds.
    Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Hanson has long tried to dismantle the crown jewel of Howard’s legacy—yet after Australia’s worst mass shooting since Port Arthur, her rhetoric and Howard’s converged.
    Oscar Schwartz, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • He is draped across a chair, jewels on his hand glistening, and fur rugs lining the floor.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Once, somewhere in southern Virginia, Dad performed the customary lurch off the highway in the direction of a promising barbecue counter.
    Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • The same boom-and-bust dependency on the oil industry, whose profits were now funnelled through the regime and its allies, kept the country lurching from one crisis to the next.
    Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rock. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rock

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster