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
-
For 25 years now, whenever ailing sea turtles are stranded and rescued from regional waters (caught in netting, injured by a boat prop or shark attack, accidentally hooked by a fisherman, or stunned by a cold front), they are brought here for care, recuperation, and a second chance at life.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
-
Multiple sources told OutKick that UAB administrators were stunned to hear just how troubling some of these allegations were that have been brought forth by players and parents.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Nathan Lane, celebrated for Tony-winning comedic roles in ‘The Producers’ and other musicals, tackles Willy Loman in a casting choice that surprised some when the revival was announced.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
But Scott said he had been surprised by their resilience, with the majority in his tight community of around 90 blockchain and crypto entrepreneurs opting to stay despite the conflict.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
6 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
-
Their struggles are why Buster Posey shook things up by calling up Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
-
Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 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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I'mPhaedra Trethan, amazed at these quick-thinking kids.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
What really amazed the animal lover was Bow's loyalty to Shy, even though the dogs had only known each other for a day.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocked. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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