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

3
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 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 Sign Up for Our Free Daily Newsletter North Korea’s Mount Mantap is being rocked by earthquakes—and the reason appears to be the pariah state’s nuclear tests. Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026 The West Coast rapper even rocked a custom Nia Long jacket, featuring photos from different roles and eras of the actress’ decorated career. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026 Dern wore a durable Vivaia pair, while Field rocked a dressier lace style. Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026 On the streets of New York, Zoey Deutch expertly pulled off a purple cardigan with red pants, while Dua Lipa rocked a head-to-toe Ferragamo ensemble at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, wearing a purple dress with red mules and an east-west bag. Elise Fabre, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2026 The shooting rocked the LGBTQIA+ community in a city normally known as an affirming place to live. Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 2 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
  • Progress toward that goal faltered in 2023 when the state learned that its proposal to tap federal funds for a study on the Idaho-Utah route had been incorrectly submitted.
    Rose Evans September 15, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Other elements of this team that were so strong last year also faltered, from pass protection to the tight ends to Davante Adams to the run defense and overall pass rush.
    Matt Barrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Residents of Dawn Park, the Johannesburg suburb where the ninth body was found on Thursday, were stunned by the discovery.
    Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In Kosovo's capital, Pristina, thousands of people watched the hearing live on a huge screen and were stunned at the sentence.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • What may have surprised even modern sports fans, however, was Ole Miss' suing two of its former players who followed former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to his new position as head football coach at LSU.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • At the time, the move surprised many investors, as it was widely assumed Abel would not take over until after Buffett's death.
    Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 18 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
  • Love shook off a hit to his elbow that led to some numbness in his right hand to throw two touchdown passes for the Packers (1-1).
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In the coastal village of Quinhagak, the storm shook houses and damaged some buildings and infrastructure.
    Samantha Watson, NPR, 19 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
  • 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
  • But of the many falsehoods told by them, there was one which quite amazed me.
    Agnes Callard, The New York Review of Books, 18 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocked. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster