rocky

1 of 2

adjective (1)

ˈrä-kē 

rockier; rockiest

1

: abounding in or consisting of rocks

2

: difficult to impress or affect : insensitive

3

: firmly held : steadfast

rocky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

rockier; rockiest

1

: unstable, wobbly

2

: physically upset or mentally confused (as from drinking excessively)

3

: marked by obstacles or problems : difficult, rough

… a financially rocky year …

—Michael Murray

Examples of rocky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Parents within the West Mifflin Area School District pressed the district and its bus provider for answers at a town hall Thursday after a rocky start to the school year. — Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

The trip to Venus was a bit rocky, too, with Mariner 2 suffering a solar panel power drop out two times, as well as glitchy attitude control gyroscopes. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026

There are also the pristine stretches of sand around Cape Peninsula, a rocky mountain that juts into the sea, including a large colony of African penguins on Boulders Beach, the surfers’ paradise of Llandudno, and nudist-friendly Sandy Bay. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026

Away from both sides of the road stretched rocky plains, dry and gray as parchment. — Leslie E. Tassell, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English rokky, from rokke rock

Adjective (2)

rock entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rocky

• rocky road

Rhymes for rocky

• blocky
• chalky
• cocky
• gawky
• hockey
• jockey
• khaki
• machi
• maki
• stocky
• talkie
• walkie

Kids Definition

rocky

1 of 2 adjective

ˈräk-ē 

rockier; rockiest

: full of or consisting of rocks

rockiness noun

rocky

2 of 2 adjective

rockier; rockiest

1

: weak and confused and unsteady on one's feet

2

: marked by obstacles or problems : difficult

a rocky start

rockiness

-ē-nəs

noun