rocket
1 Americannoun
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any of various simple or complex tubelike devices containing combustibles that on being ignited liberate gases whose action propels the tube through the air: used for pyrotechnic effect, signaling, carrying a lifeline, hurling explosives at an enemy, putting a space vehicle into orbit, etc.
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a space capsule or vehicle put into orbit by such devices.
verb (used with object)
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rockets,
present (3rd person singular)
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rocketed,
past participle, past
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rocketing
present participle
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to move or transport by means of a rocket.
-
to attack with rockets.
verb (used without object)
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rockets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rocketed,
past participle, past
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rocketing
present participle
-
to move like a rocket.
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(of game birds) to fly straight up rapidly when flushed.
noun
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any of various plants belonging to the genus Hesperis, of the mustard family, and related genera.
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Also called roquette. Also called rocket salad,. the arugula plant, used in salads.
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a noxious weed, Barbarea vulgaris, of the United States, having lobed leaves and clusters of small, yellow flowers.
noun
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Also called: arugula. a Mediterranean plant, Eruca sativa , having yellowish-white flowers and leaves used as a salad: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)
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any of several plants of the related genus Sisymbrium , esp S. irio ( London rocket ), which grow on waste ground and have pale yellow flowers
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any of several yellow-flowered plants of the related genus Barbarea , esp B. vulgaris
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any of several plants of the related genus Cakile , esp C. maritima , which grow along the seashores of Europe and North America and have mauve, pink, or white flowers
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another name for dame's violet
noun
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a self-propelling device, esp a cylinder containing a mixture of solid explosives, used as a firework, distress signal, line carrier, etc
-
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any vehicle propelled by a rocket engine, esp one used to carry a warhead, spacecraft, etc
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( as modifier )
rocket propulsion
rocket launcher
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informal a severe reprimand (esp in the phrase get a rocket )
verb
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(tr) to propel (a missile, spacecraft, etc) by means of a rocket
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(intr; foll by off, away, etc) to move off at high speed
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(intr) to rise rapidly
he rocketed to the top
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rocketsimple
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rocketssimple
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have rocketedperfect
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has rocketedperfect
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am rocketingprogressive
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are rocketingprogressive
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is rocketingprogressive
-
have been rocketingperfect progressive
-
has been rocketingperfect progressive
Past
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rocketedsimple
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had rocketedperfect
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was rocketingprogressive
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were rocketingprogressive
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had been rocketingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rocket1
First recorded in 1560–70; from Italian rocchetta, diminutive of rocca “distaff” (with reference to its shape); from Germanic
Origin of rocket2
First recorded in 1525–35; from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, ultimately from Latin ērūca kind of herb
Explanation
A rocket is a space vehicle or missile, or the special engine that's meant to propel such a vehicle into the air. You can even get a model rocket that's small enough to shoot off in your backyard. A rocket or rocket engine uses thrust to propel something toward the sky, whether it's a spacecraft that will orbit the Earth or a bottle rocket that will explode overhead. You can use the word as a verb, too, to mean "move or rise up rapidly": "The startled pheasant rocketed out of the brush and disappeared into the trees." It can also be used figuratively to mean "increase rapidly": "The company's stock price rocketed after the announcement of the new CEO."
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.
See Examples For:
“It’s not rocket science,” the spokesperson wrote of this initiative in a response to ProPublica’s questions.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
A Chinese rocket, the Long March 7A, failed and exploded on its 10 August launch in Wenchang, Hainan, China.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Rocket Lab also gave an update on Neutron, its long-awaited and delayed rocket, which it said was on target to be delivered to the launch pad in the fourth quarter of 2026.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Ahead of SpaceX’s historic IPO in June, I wondered how many investors out there thought they had exposure to the rocket maker but actually didn’t.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
We all had sweaty palms during the countdown, but the rockets fired perfectly at 9:47 a.m., and amid the fire and smoke as the rocket lifted off, Glenn was launched into the atmosphere!
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
The techniques vary: either seeding rockets are burned to release a plume of particles, or the saline solution is sprayed directly into the cloud for greater precision.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Parsing the earnings from SpaceX’s earth-based AI play, reusable rockets and internet business this week, MoffettNathanson analysts were left with a question of identity: “What, exactly, is SpaceX?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The SpaceX earnings call with Elon Musk on Tuesday night was entertaining as always and featured some ambitious plans for rockets and robots, starships and satellites.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
This helped the British to bomb the research facility and delayed the use of the rockets, which first hit London in 1944.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
With trig under our belt, all we would need to do was build some instruments to measure angles and we would be able to calculate how high our rockets flew.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Díaz gave up a rocketed ground ball to Luis Lara, but Edman, manning second base, went to a knee to snag it for the second out of the inning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
This is the fifth year of T-level results in England, and the number of students getting grades has rocketed as their rollout continues.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
From that July 29 low, SPX rocketed 477 points higher in less than five trading days.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Although Perez’s livestream proceeded for around 15 minutes before it was shut down, screenshots and clips rocketed across the internet, invading countless social media feeds.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Kaz shook off the stars that rocketed through his head.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Nothing will slow the object down, like the atmosphere would do here on Earth - and nothing will prevent the estimated million kilograms in debris from rocketing up into space.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
When the news sent crude-oil prices rocketing, he logged on to Hyperliquid and closed his position to lock in a massive 243% gain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
See more: Space stocks are rocketing as SpaceX keeps making pre-IPO headlines with first Starship launch.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
On Thursday European and US stock markets had climbed, boosted by a continued tech-fuelled rally with Cisco Systems surging 13.4 percent and chip startup rocketing 68.2 percent on its Nasdaq debut.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
It was a shameless exaggeration of Curly’s role in the capture of Dana Matherson, and Officer Delinko was about to set the record straight when Kimberly Lou Dixon came rocketing out of the bathroom.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
