rocked

past tense of rock
1
2
as in faltered
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

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4

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 rocked The continuation of this buyer’s market will be contingent upon inflation, which has been rocked by tariffs and the Iran war, as well as concerns about what some have called a growing AI bubble. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026 Then there is Swift’s BFF Ed Sheeran, whose tour was rocked by his opener, rapper Macklemore, attracting the ire of billionaire businessman Robert Kraft after Macklemore shared his pro-Palestinian feelings from the stage. — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026 The Van Halen lead vocalist rocked a matching tropical-print set with Hawaiian flowers on the top and bottom. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 If passed, the legislation could offer a lifeline for workers who have been rocked by recent turbulence in the business. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 And in May, OMB rocked the scientific community by proposing a rewrite to the bedrock guidance for all federal contracts that deemphasized peer review and empowered political appointees in driving decisions. — STAT, 23 Sep. 2026 Neither team could pull away, and Atlanta struggled with turnovers in the second quarter, which rocked it off its rhythm. — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Various military advances by the Houthis have rocked Yemen since 2014. — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 While attending Milan Fashion Week in 2023, Valentina rocked the unconventional corpcore combo of a silky blue button-down and a sleek black midi skirt. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rocked
Verb
  • The airplane lurched skyward, and Elwood was strapped in for the ride.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Markets have lurched up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • He’s also faltered against the Red Sox throughout his career.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Behind the scenes, former Pentagon officials described a rush to strike the deals that raised concerns about due diligence, which were heightened when a deal with rare earths startup Reelement faltered.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • When Arisa proclaims herself a Faithful, Michael looks hilariously stunned, and Alan tells them to weep for the fall of innocence and the failure of justice.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • When the boss returns to the office vowing to send them all to jail, he is stunned to see the women have introduced job-sharing, flexible hours, and on-site child care.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • With airlines weighing carry-ons more and more now, too, even light packers may want to grab one to avoid being surprised with unexpected baggage fees.
    — Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Yet the summit’s stark lack of substance surprised even the closest China watchers.
    — Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Some also questioned whether Bonta and other California leaders were swayed by Ellison’s threat to move Paramount out of the state.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The plan has swayed the city of Burbank to help the team cut through the red tape, Burke and Younesi say.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • O’Shea shook hands with the referee and his assistants but there was no attempt to shake the hand of Israel captain Manor Solomon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The policeman held on to Shorty’s biceps and shook them slightly, both giving the sense of a loving embrace and using his strength to lift Shorty ever so slightly off the ground and clear of the entrance.
    — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • And they were dazed when JJ Buchanan came down with Bryce Underwood's second Hail Mary pass to turn the four-touchdown-underdog Broncos' 12-7 upset into a 13-12 loss.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Despite looking dazed, Guerrero scampered home to tie the game at 1-1.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And especially with the stock market—I’m amazed the stock market still hasn’t really taken the hit.
    — Victoria Feng, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps what amazed me the most was the breadth and the depth to which a general American public seemed to be at a tipping point around the exorbitant cost of health care and how cavernous the gap is between the one percent and the 99 percent.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocked. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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