Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

skyrocket

American  
[skahy-rok-it] / ˈskaɪˌrɒk ɪt /

noun

  1. a rocket firework that ascends into the air and explodes at a height, usually in a brilliant array of sparks of one or more colors.

  2. Also called scarlet gilia.  a plant, Ipomopsis aggregata, of the phlox family, native to western North America, having finely divided leaves and clusters of red, trumpet-shaped flowers.

  3. an organized group cheer, usually led by a cheerleader, as at a football or basketball game, which begins with a hissing or whistling and ends with a shout.

verb (used without object)

  1. to rise or increase rapidly or suddenly, especially to unexpected or unprecedented levels.

    Prices skyrocketed during the war.

verb (used with object)

  1. to cause to rise or increase rapidly and usually suddenly.

    Economic changes have skyrocketed prices.

  2. to thrust with sudden dramatic advancement; catapult.

    Talent has skyrocketed him to fame.
skyrocket British  
/ ˈskaɪˌrɒkɪt /

noun

  1. another word for rocket 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. informal (intr) to rise rapidly, as in price

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of skyrocket

First recorded in 1680–90; sky + rocket 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Oil ended the day under $84, but the price of fuels such as diesel has continued to skyrocket.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Inevitably the hype and the hope around this Scotland team will skyrocket as they head for that date with destiny in Dublin next Saturday.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

Shareholders and consumers have wondered if Apple will raise prices further as memory costs skyrocket.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

A virtual unknown coming from Congo two summers ago to attend school in Orange County, Mpoyi saw his recruitment skyrocket and lead to him signing with Minnesota.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

“I didn’t expect fundamental deterioration in the underlying mortgage pools to hit critical levels for a couple years,” he said—when the teaser rates would vanish and monthly payments would skyrocket.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.