ROCKS Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

rocks 1 of 2

noun

plural of rock, slang

as in jewels

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

roughs

rocks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rock

as in sways

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 shakes

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 stuns

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in surprises

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

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 rocks

Noun

For over a week, protesters have hurled rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police who have used batons and tear gas in clashes in the city center. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Near the march’s end point at Porte de Vincennes, some demonstrators threw bottles and rocks at police, who then charged at the crowd, fired tear gas and used water cannons. — Richard Engel, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026 The hiking area is extremely dangerous and known for steep inclines, loose gravel and falling rocks, according to the Italian Alpine Rescue unit, which told CNN that more than 80 people died in the Dolomites in 2026 so far. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Microbes began chewing and spewing, transforming the chemistry of oceans and rocks. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 If successful, bits of dust, soil and rocks from Phobos will arrive on Earth in 2031. — Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026 So, from a standpoint of how these events likely evolve, there could be small rocks and gravel and stuff that comes off where the slide is, as that rock mass adjusts to the fact that this piece just popped off. — Erika Stanish, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Deep underground, iron-rich rocks could hold the key to producing hydrogen at a fraction of the cost of conventional fuels. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026 On land, the researchers remotely guided it through a sandbox containing rocks and used light sensors to demonstrate autonomous steering toward a light source. — New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

But beyond artsy activities, this tablet also rocks powerful performance thanks to 8GB of expandable memory and 256GB of local storage. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 More than 180 acts have been announced so far for Treefort, which rocks multiple venues across downtown Boise. — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026 Her shrunken two-piece skirt suit—the jacket cropped to reveal her abs, the skirt extra-mini—perfectly encapsulated the cartoonish silhouette that Barbie so often rocks. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Linkin Park’s new documentary Unshatter, which rocks into theaters today, was originally set to be a traditional concert film. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2026 Amanda Seyfried rocks this soft yet vibrant blend of pink and orange tones, creating a warm, sunlit effect. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026 Hot car death rocks New Jersey community Anyone can forget a child in a car, experts say. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 The zigzag headband is ideal for a bad hair day or simply for effortlessly accessorizing an outfit, and Hailey Bieber effortlessly rocks it for everything from skin care routines and workouts to swimming. — Elise Fabre, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2026 Keanu Reeves rocks an all-black look at the premiere of Madwoman’s Game at the Chicano Hollywood Film Festival on July 30 in Pomona, California. — People Staff, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rocks

Noun

Kate Middleton paired a butter yellow Elie Saab gown with historic royal jewels at Tuesday night’s state banquet for Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman at Windsor Castle.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Her jewels for the evening included her go-to royal headpiece, Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, as well as earrings and a bracelet that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth.

— Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of jewels

Verb

The set moves in and out, another set rolls over, and another is on a gimbal that sways as the whale moves.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
But forcing heavy steel trains onto a floating highway that rolls, sways, and shifts with the tides was widely considered an invitation to disaster.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of sways

Verb

When isolated issues in other states occur, even if proved untrue, the intense and repeated national media attention on them shakes voter confidence here at home.

— Heather LaMarre, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Near the corner of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia, Shania Bennett shakes hands with a daycare owner.

— Dan Snyder, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of shakes

Verb

Haslet Eaton stuns Keller Central Haslet Eaton upset Keller Central on Thursday, earning a 28-27 victory in a thriller.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026
Innanen stuns as Paul Baker — full name all the time — a Canadian newcomer to the group who becomes integral to his friends’ emotional processing all while operating as the resident Gen-Z eye candy.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of stuns

Verb

Each step sends a ripple through the spongy, thin mat, a slow undulating motion beneath your feet that surprises the senses, disorienting yet simultaneously strangely delightful.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
After more than 13 years of working together, Jordan rarely surprises me.

— Alla Adam, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprises

Verb

Hop on the #6 double-decker from Central to Stanley beach, which lurches around Hong Kong Island's mountainous southern South China Sea coast (sit upstairs on the right-hand side).

— Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.

— DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of lurches

Verb

The Clemson junior from Rienzi, Mississippi is chasing a football career, but if that falters might chose to follow his parents into the military.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of falters

Browse Nearby Words

rock-ribbed

rocks

rocky

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rocks. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rocks

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes