rock the boat

Idioms

Disturb a stable situation, as in An easygoing manager, he won't rock the boat unless it's absolutely necessary. This idiom alludes to capsizing a small vessel, such as a canoe, by moving about in it too violently. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

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.

“The supply shocks from either would already rock the boat; both together would capsize global markets like a perfect storm,” said Raj.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

That guarantee may no longer stand now she is has handed over the reins, although her approach was widely regarded as sensible and Amazon are unlikely to rock the boat too much.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2025

He doesn’t want to rock the boat in any way.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2024

“Therefore, the aim of communication following the end of the meeting will likely try to not rock the boat one way or the other.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 6, 2024

Would you rock the boat and speak out, or would you remain silent, as the people of Auschwitz did?

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

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