rock 1 of 3

slang
as in gem
a usually valuable stone cut and polished for ornament a trophy wife with enough rocks to open her own jewelry store

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rock

2 of 3

verb

1
2
as in to shake
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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rock

3 of 3

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rock different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rock are agitate, convulse, and shake. While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval.

the whole city was rocked by the explosion

When could agitate be used to replace rock?

The synonyms agitate and rock are sometimes interchangeable, but agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring.

an ocean agitated by storms

Where would convulse be a reasonable alternative to rock?

In some situations, the words convulse and rock are roughly equivalent. However, convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm.

spectators were convulsed with laughter

When is it sensible to use shake instead of rock?

The meanings of shake and rock largely overlap; however, shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose.

shake well before using

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 rock
Noun
Joey Molland, the guitarist and last surviving member of the rock band Badfinger, has died. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2025 The biggest problem is drilling miles through hot rock, safely. Brent Crane, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
When Cher eventually won the trophy, her Best Actress competition Sally Kirkland (second row, seventh from right), who’s rocking a fuschia get-up, would notoriously be caught on-camera making a stink face at the envelope reveal, perhaps given high hopes by her surprise Golden Globe win for Anna. Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025 The killing of Mizell rocked the hip-hop world and remained one of New York City's most notorious unsolved murders for decades. Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rock
Noun
  • Now the endearingly eclectic midcentury-modern gem has surfaced on the market for the first time in almost three decades, asking a smidge under $5.7 million.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Digress in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood is one such gem.
    Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As the dinosaur ambled away, great tail swaying behind its multi-ton body, golden goop began to trickle out of the tree where the wound had just been cut.
    Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025
  • After meeting with leaders Monday and Tuesday, however, a handful of the holdouts, such as Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), were swayed to vote for the resolution.
    Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • George may be wild about her, but his trust in her is shaken.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
  • What’s a deadline without a head-scratcher to shake things up?
    Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In the months since the militant opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stunned the world by bringing down the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad in early December 2024, Syria has faced many pressing concerns.
    PATRICK VINCK, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Maryland has never earned the No. 4 seed in the league tournament and was the No. 5 seed once in 2019 when it was stunned by No. 13 Nebraska in the second round.
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Again, no one should be surprised by Wednesday’s announcement.
    Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The announcement did not surprise the market given Trump had previously alluded to the move, during discussion of his upcoming 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, Piotr Ortonowski, head of copper market analysis at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, told CNBC.
    Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The future of this country’s greatest universities—long the jewels of the American century—is in question, and the stakes are high.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2025
  • He’s then used those picks to fill out the pipeline, and now has the crown jewels of the rebuild, Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Yaroslav Askarov, who are off to impressive starts in San Jose.
    Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Onlookers often see a chaotic show—politicians exploiting controversy, celebrities minting obscure tokens, and a sector seemingly lurching from one scandal to the next.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
  • With American soldiers still fighting in the Pacific theater, my father joined a war bond tour, lurching around the United States with some of the flag-raising soldiers to drum up financial support for what turned out to be the waning days of World War II.
    Hannah Beech, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The ability to navigate workforce reductions while continuing to invest in leadership development will distinguish thriving organizations from those that falter in the coming years.
    Jason Wingard, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • However, after transitioning to WWE's main roster, Black's momentum faltered, and he was ultimately released in 2021.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rock. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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