alternative rock

noun

: alternative music that blends elements of conventional rock with influences from other musical styles (such as punk rock, hard rock, hip-hop, or folk)

Examples of alternative rock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The group has regularly challenged conventions of what could be commercially successful and pushed alternative rock to new and exciting places throughout the years. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

The iconic alternative rock station 89X is back on the air after a five-year absence, flipping formats again on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 28, and reviving a cultural staple of the Detroit-Windsor music scene. —Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Spin the dial and calendar to 2025 and alternative rock isn’t even among the Top 10 formats on radio anymore. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025

Created by Glander himself, the tunes sound as if hand-picked from alternative rock albums from the 2000s and 2010s. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alternative rock

• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• isopach
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock
• beanstalk