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
1
as in to sway
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the boat was rocking so much that several passengers felt seasick
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
as in to stun
to make senseless or dizzy by a blow
she rocked the mugger with a single punch and then ran
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the news of the mayor's sudden death rocked the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in rocklike
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of rock
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
Headquarters is a great little rock-and-roll album.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
While crews were investigating, an explosion rocked the 15th and 16th floors, setting off multiple fires and briefly trapping firefighters in an elevator.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Tortoise, Touch Touch, the first full-length by venerable Chicago post-rock outfit Tortoise since 2016’s The Catastrophist, catches the quintet pushing past the most bucolic stretches of the previous release.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rock
Noun
There’s an urgency to the pacing of the pop-rock track that makes the stakes feel higher here.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
Headquarters is a great little rock-and-roll album.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Sheletta Brundidge ran from her car to give Noir a big, rocking embrace.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
While crews were investigating, an explosion rocked the 15th and 16th floors, setting off multiple fires and briefly trapping firefighters in an elevator.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The slow, majestic build of post-rock epics that hold back their climax for maximum transcendence.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Tortoise, Touch Touch, the first full-length by venerable Chicago post-rock outfit Tortoise since 2016’s The Catastrophist, catches the quintet pushing past the most bucolic stretches of the previous release.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rock
Noun
-
Former Leafs director of amateur scouting Wes Clark and current director Mark Leach, with the Leafs scouts, have unearthed some relative gems in four consecutive drafts.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The list includes affordable gems from premium brands, like a festive red-and-pink Kate Spade oven mitt set.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No plan has yet materialized, but lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee said they were swayed by safety concerns in the prisons and county jails — and by a new willingness from Polis’ staff to discuss prison overcrowding.—
The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The audience swayed to the grooves of music from the Katamari Damacy series before Okubo changed the tone with the powerful beat of Tekken 8, creating a more aggressive vibe.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This should have people across the country absolutely shook.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The officer in the black beanie appears to shake a pepper spray canister toward protesters.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
So we were stunned to read about how Sean Harden, chair of the Chicago Board of Education as duly appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, reportedly had launched two internal investigations into how that board’s super-secret business got into the hands of reporters.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Others were stunned by individual line items.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Homendy said the helicopter altimeter discrepancy is what surprised her the most in this investigation.—
Sam Sweeney,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Samsung has surprised users in recent months with some security fixes for devices even after support has ended.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
April 24 Launched last season, the crown jewel of the Basin’s adventure dining offerings is the Progressive Skinner’s Dinner, each of its four courses requiring some traveling.—
Shauna Farnell,
Denver Post,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Taking its name from Don Winslow’s novella, Crime 101 stars Chris Hemsworth as Mike, a lone-wolf jewel thief operating along the Pacific Coast Highway.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When her car began to lurch forward, an agent near the front left-side of the SUV drew his gun and shot her at close range.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Natanya complicates her old-school character sketch with cerebral shifts in perspective, affecting each of the voices that accompany a young woman’s drive for success and independence (demanding friends and parents, sexist expectations, her own willpower) in a lurching cascade of melodies.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tech giants flourish or falter based on their decisions to overhaul themselves, often leaving tens of thousands of workers to pay the price.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As the Bucks falter in the midst of this Antetokounmpo mess, Crowder took to social media to again reflect on the decision of the Bucks to dismiss Adrian Griffin in favor of Rivers midway through the 2023-24 season.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rock. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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