Thesaurus results for ROCKING

rocking 1 of 2

noun

as in quaking

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rocking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of rock

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

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

as in stunning

to make senseless or dizzy by a blow she rocked the mugger with a single punch and then ran

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as in amazing

to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected the news of the mayor's sudden death rocked the city

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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 rocking

Noun

Like the pair above, the shoes boast plush insoles and pillowy cushioning, along with a structure specifically designed for smooth heel-to-toe rocking. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 20 Aug. 2026 Many structures in the area where the earthquake struck this week were built to withstand the seismic rocking that destroyed entire neighborhoods in 1999. — Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 If a piece of furniture is damaged—say, an outdoor wooden rocking chair with termite damage—or simply dirty, a store will not accept it. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 2 Aug. 2026 Ditch the plastic iterations for a sculptural rattan rocking horse that doubles as nursery decor when not in use. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 24 June 2026 What looks like an aesthetic rocking chair is actually an anti-gravity chair, to help with spinal decompression. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026 While Kesteloo is used to traveling at sea, the rocking and swaying of the boat might affect you differently. — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 Alan Bishop’s latest album seems at first like a showcase of his music at its most rocking. — Marc Masters, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026 There are some traditional pieces that set a framework for the exhibition — functional objects, like a rustic rocking chair made from logs hewn from pine and aspen by Jon Weekly, who owns Medicine Wolf Furniture, headquartered in Denver. — Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026

Verb

Additional photos from the trip show Lohan rocking a white tulle minidress with spaghetti straps and a subtle polka-dot pattern. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 23 Aug. 2026 Heidi Klum is now rocking bare nails and showing how the trend works for long nails. — Paula Oelbaum, Glamour, 23 Aug. 2026 May is going strong with stellar entertainment rocking the hottest clubs on the beach. — Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 There are times when Linkin Park fills more spaces than any other singer or group on the rock tallies, thanks to a catalog that includes some of the biggest hard-rocking tracks of the past several decades. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Coat Anti-Frizz Treatment Ever since getting a Brazilian blowout—a take on a keratin treatment—I’ve been rocking my hair silky straight for the last few months. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 Wearing a keffiyeh was not like rocking Air Jordans or hanging a dreamcatcher. — Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026 Another big home win was in the books, and Wrigleyville was rocking. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 The youngsters head out on a journey full of friendship, love, rocking tunes and bad puns. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rocking

Noun

Betelgeuse and the Pleiades hung—one billowing, one trembling—out of sight somewhere past the window frame.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
When the trembling decreased, the 27-year-old mother took the stairs seven stories down with her young child in her arms and evacuated the building.

— Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of trembling

Verb

The Daisy Chain crowd could be seen holding up their lights and swaying to the music.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Everyone seemingly watches them — and a little tennis — with a $23 Honey Deuce in one hand, swaying to DJ Trizz’s mixes on the sound system.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of swaying

Verb

Know More Saudi Arabia has been working on several measures in a bid to boost trading volumes on the stock exchange and reenergize new stock listings that had been faltering even before the Iran war spooked investors.

— Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The same list of conditions is relevant to the debates about our faltering literacy.

— Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of faltering

Verb

Footage of the fight shared online showed Williams punching Colón in the back of the head in the seventh round, apparently stunning him.

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Margaret deploys this power to find Daniel and to free him from Noah and the WARDEX minions—essentially, by stunning them emotionally.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026

Definition of stunning

Noun

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
The old dog slowed to a stop, nose full of bird stink, feathery tail quivering.

— Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025

Definition of quivering

Verb

The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.

— Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Republicans see Democrats lurching to the left and embracing socialism as an opening to link their opponents to the far more radical communism.

— Garrett Downs, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of lurching

Verb

That afternoon, the president, inside the exposition’s ornate Temple of Music, greeted members of the public, shaking hands and warmly inviting them to explore the fair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
The handcuffs were taken off, and he was allowed to board, shaking with shock.

— Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaking

Browse Nearby Words

rockets

rocking

rocklike

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“Rocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocking. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of rocking

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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