1
as in lurched
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the boat was rocking so much that several passengers felt seasick
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
as in stunned
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 surprised
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the news of the mayor's sudden death rocked the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rocked
The judiciary said Shahbakhsh carried out his attacks during protests that rocked Iran in 2022 and 2023 following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman.
—
CBS News, 12 May 2026
The cruise ship rocked by an unprecedented Andes hantavirus outbreak arrived in the Canary Islands off the coast of Tenerife Island over the weekend and is being evacuated.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Brady, whose cameo marked two years since Hart took shots at the NFL legend during Netflix’s 2024 roast of the quarterback, rocked up to the mic in an all-black outfit and diced up the Jumanji star.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
The room was narrow and had only one window, and the seminar table was actually four small tables of different heights, which, shoved together, rocked back and forth like shifting tectonic plates.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
The Giro d’Italia has been rocked by a second huge crash in as many days, with UAE Team Emirates pair Adam Yates and Jay Vine among over two dozen riders to fall heavily.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Haitian immigrants became eligible after an earthquake rocked the country in 2010.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
At the end of the vlog, the incoming University of Miami student rocked a red dress with spaghetti straps and a cut-out in the middle.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s shooting rocked attendees of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an annual event attended by the Washington press corps, presidential administration staffers and celebrities.
—Garrett Haake, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
CBS News, 12 May 2026
The cruise ship rocked by an unprecedented Andes hantavirus outbreak arrived in the Canary Islands off the coast of Tenerife Island over the weekend and is being evacuated.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Brady, whose cameo marked two years since Hart took shots at the NFL legend during Netflix’s 2024 roast of the quarterback, rocked up to the mic in an all-black outfit and diced up the Jumanji star.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
The room was narrow and had only one window, and the seminar table was actually four small tables of different heights, which, shoved together, rocked back and forth like shifting tectonic plates.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
The Giro d’Italia has been rocked by a second huge crash in as many days, with UAE Team Emirates pair Adam Yates and Jay Vine among over two dozen riders to fall heavily.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Haitian immigrants became eligible after an earthquake rocked the country in 2010.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
At the end of the vlog, the incoming University of Miami student rocked a red dress with spaghetti straps and a cut-out in the middle.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s shooting rocked attendees of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an annual event attended by the Washington press corps, presidential administration staffers and celebrities.
—Garrett Haake, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rocked
Verb
-
Each assault count corresponds to a moment Mendoza Hernandez’s car lurched forward, about seven seconds apart.—
Scott Lebar. Story produced with AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
-
France lurched from republic to dictatorship to empire before cycling back through absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy, Second Republic, and Second Empire.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Armenia is one of the founding members of the CSTO, but its relationships with the organization and Russia have faltered over the past few years.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Everton’s form has faltered in recent weeks.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
One of the officials, who works in cybersecurity, was stunned by her remark; his office’s previous work with CISA and federal law enforcement involved reporting death threats against elections officials and cyber risks.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, was at the 2025 tournament on a team that included Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, but the Canadians were stunned 2-1 by Denmark in the quarterfinals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The guard admitted he was surprised by the lack of questions about his medical status but voiced confidence that the issue would not continue into his NBA career.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Moroney even surprised the night's guests with a special video message as the teens got ready.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, the bond market is sending a message about the economy, and it isn’t swayed by trendy narratives, Malek said.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
Trump condemned Roberts and the five other justices who ruled against him on tariffs and made an unsubstantiated claim that the court was swayed by foreign interests.—
Andrew Chung,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Her plea will spare a lengthy discovery period and likely mark the legal denouement of a federal probe that shook Sacramento after the FBI recorded dozens of lobbyists in the summer of 2024 as part of the investigation.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
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The writer-director sets her sophomore feature barely two years after the country shook off the despot’s iron grip.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Still dazed from the emotional hangover, the Lakers lost their next two games.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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Despite seeming dazed at first, Wembanyama was able to stand and ran into the tunnel to get further evaluation in the locker room.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone at America’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, the invention amazed the crowd.—
David H. Hsu,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
I'mPhaedra Trethan, amazed at these quick-thinking kids.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocked. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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