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

The tall bleached ''bathtub ring'' is visible on the rocky banks of Lake Powell on August 01, 2026 in Page, Arizona. — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

Headwinds for the local sports channels, including those operated by Spectrum, pose the latest rocky chapter for Los Angeles sports fans. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Remarkably, astronomers recently used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to do just that, detecting a clear signature of an atmosphere—the first time this has been achieved for a rocky world. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026

The Sauvignon Blanc vines on the estate were planted in 1997 and are positioned on steep, very rocky blocks of land on Howell Mountain. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 20 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