Meaning & use
rocking
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“rocking” is a form of “rock”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Moving gently backward and forward or from side to side, often in a soothing way.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'back and forth' or 'in' a chair.
Patterns
- rocking back and forth
- rocking in a chair
- rocking a baby
She sat by the fire, rocking gently in her chair.
The boat was rocking so much that I felt seasick.
verbintransitive
Playing rock music loudly and with energy.
Grammar: No object; used about a band or a performance.
Patterns
- rocking out
- rocking the stage
The band was rocking out until midnight.
They were rocking the whole stadium with their guitars.
adjectivenot comparableinformal
Very exciting, lively, or excellent; used informally.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'look'.
Patterns
- a rocking party
- look rocking
That was a rocking party last night!
You look rocking in that outfit.
Common combinations
- rocking chair
- Grandpa fell asleep in his rocking chair.
- rocking horse
- The toddler played with the rocking horse for hours.
- rocking back and forth
- He kept rocking back and forth while waiting for the news.
- rocking the boat
- Don't go rocking the boat now that everything is settled.
Synonyms and how they differ
- swaying
- Suggests a slower, wider movement; 'rocking' is often smaller and more rhythmic.
- swinging
- Implies movement from a fixed point, like a pendulum; 'rocking' can be any back-and-forth motion.
Word family
Commonly confused: rocking or rockin'?
rocking vs rockin'
An informal spelling of 'rocking' used in music and slang; avoid it in formal writing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'rocking' correctly as an adjective meaning 'exciting'?
Choose one answer.
'Rocking' as an adjective describes something exciting, as in 'a rocking time.' The other options use 'rocking' as a verb form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rocking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.