rocky

1 of 2

adjective (1)

ˈrä-kē

rockier; rockiest

Synonyms of rocky

: abounding in or consisting of rocks

: difficult to impress or affect : insensitive

: firmly held : steadfast

rocky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

rockier; rockiest

: unstable, wobbly

: physically upset or mentally confused (as from drinking excessively)

: marked by obstacles or problems : difficult, rough

… a financially rocky year …—Michael Murray

Examples of rocky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Adjective

Only two previous missions, NASA’s Mariner 10 in 1974 and its MESSENGER mission in 2011, have been in the vicinity of the rocky world. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 From the hotel, there’s a descending trail that leads to an unaffiliated, so-so restaurant with a killer position on a wooden deck built on the rocky shores; go for a limoncello and the sea. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 If Underwood gets off to a rocky start, there will be calls to bench him for backup Tommy Carr. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 But soon a second mission will begin exploring this rocky world to tease out new details about its surface, interior and interaction with our star. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rocky

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English rokky, from rokke rock

Adjective (2)

rock entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of rocky was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

rock wren

rocky

Rocky Ford

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rocky. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rocky

1 of 2 adjective

ˈräk-ē

rockier; rockiest

: full of or consisting of rocks

rockiness noun

rocky

2 of 2 adjective

rockier; rockiest

: weak and confused and unsteady on one's feet

: marked by obstacles or problems : difficult

a rocky start

rockiness

-ē-nəs

noun

rocky

adjective (1)

adjective (2)

Examples of rocky in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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rocky

adjective (1)

adjective (2)

Examples of rocky in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing rocky

Rhymes for rocky

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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