1
as in swaying
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 faltering
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 stunning
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 amazing
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 rocking
Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Expect leather benches, custom drapery, rattan rocking chairs, and oversize armoires that discreetly conceal the tile-and-marble bathrooms with soaking tubs and bamboo shades.
—AFAR Media, 30 Dec. 2025
There is only Kyle and her porch and her chair and the rocking, the rocking, the rocking, the rocking.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
The sturdy rocking base is great for steep uphill and downhill control and traction.
—Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Hey, if the formula’s rocking, why change it now?
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
The rest of the quintet — vocalist Dexter Holland, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn — then joined in for a rocking (yet, sadly, abbreviated) take on that same album’s legendary title track.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2025
Guests can also head to Bar Car 3674 for a night spent sipping cocktails and listening to live piano music, before retiring to their cabins to fall asleep with the gentle rocking of the train.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2025
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
At a certain point, Frenza’s rocking transcends her hips, seems to come from something greater than her, from her very essence.
—Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
King James is currently rocking Poubel’s Basketball Whoop Charm.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2026
Continue rocking back and forth, in one continuous motion, for 30 seconds.
—Jenny McCoy, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
That’s the truck in the hero image up top there, rocking what appears to be a set of KO3s.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 18 Mar. 2026
This is the first time the actress has attended the ceremony as a single woman in years, rocking the red carpet solo.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 17 Mar. 2026
The following year, the Royals won the World Series and Kauffman Stadium was rocking.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Packing motion sickness remedies ahead of time is an easy way to avoid scrambling if the ship starts rocking.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Pfeiffer sat in a wooden rocking chair on a porch.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Expect leather benches, custom drapery, rattan rocking chairs, and oversize armoires that discreetly conceal the tile-and-marble bathrooms with soaking tubs and bamboo shades.
—AFAR Media, 30 Dec. 2025
There is only Kyle and her porch and her chair and the rocking, the rocking, the rocking, the rocking.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
The sturdy rocking base is great for steep uphill and downhill control and traction.
—Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Hey, if the formula’s rocking, why change it now?
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
The rest of the quintet — vocalist Dexter Holland, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn — then joined in for a rocking (yet, sadly, abbreviated) take on that same album’s legendary title track.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2025
Guests can also head to Bar Car 3674 for a night spent sipping cocktails and listening to live piano music, before retiring to their cabins to fall asleep with the gentle rocking of the train.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
Technically, Brown’s been rocking a horseshoe or biker mustache.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
At a certain point, Frenza’s rocking transcends her hips, seems to come from something greater than her, from her very essence.
—Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
King James is currently rocking Poubel’s Basketball Whoop Charm.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2026
Continue rocking back and forth, in one continuous motion, for 30 seconds.
—Jenny McCoy, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
That’s the truck in the hero image up top there, rocking what appears to be a set of KO3s.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 18 Mar. 2026
This is the first time the actress has attended the ceremony as a single woman in years, rocking the red carpet solo.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 17 Mar. 2026
The following year, the Royals won the World Series and Kauffman Stadium was rocking.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Packing motion sickness remedies ahead of time is an easy way to avoid scrambling if the ship starts rocking.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rocking
Verb
-
Society is kind of swaying towards a different type of entertainment.—
Myrna Petlicki,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Among the hundreds in attendance was 27-year-old Adrian Aviles, holding a large American flag swaying in the wind from a PVC pipe.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Now, as the conflict has shown signs of widening to other countries, including Lebanon and Bahrain, traditional safe-haven assets are showing signs of faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In one camp Gao Sheng breaks a cultural norm by helping her father and uncles with a big project, amazing her relatives with her physical and mental strength.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At first this change of scale vivifies the butterfly—its brief stillness, the angle of its wings, its trembling—while freezing everything else, including the novel’s action.—
Ben Lerner,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
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Its strength ranges from mild, causing little more discomfort than a slight trembling, to severe, in which passengers or flight crew can be thrown around the cabin and risk injury if not wearing seatbelts.—
Cat Rainsford,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
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There are plenty of differences, but the stability Atleti have fostered in sticking with Simeone stands in stark contrast to Spurs’ habit of lurching between managers, styles and approaches.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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The fine powder is very messy to work with, however, so simply shaking it onto your chain wouldn't be practical.—
Ben Coxworth
March 27,
New Atlas,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fairview came out throwing haymakers, dazing the Bruins in the early going.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
23 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
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The old dog slowed to a stop, nose full of bird stink, feathery tail quivering.—
Joel M. Vance,
Outdoor Life,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocking. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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