rocky
1 Americanadjective
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inclined or likely to rock; tottering; shaky; unsteady.
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difficult or uncertain; full of hazards or obstacles.
a business with a rocky future.
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physically unsteady or weak, as from sickness.
adjective
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consisting of or abounding in rocks
a rocky shore
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hard or unyielding
rocky determination
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hard like rock
rocky muscles
adjective
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weak, shaky, or unstable
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informal (of a person) dizzy; sickly; nauseated
Other Word Forms
- rockily adverb
- rockiness noun
Etymology
Origin of rocky1
First recorded in 1400–50; rock 1 + -y 1 ( def. )
Origin of rocky2
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.
More broadly, the study underscores how massive impacts can shape the internal chemistry and evolution of rocky planets and moons throughout the solar system.
From Science Daily
As we hiked the short distance from Pacific Coast Highway on the rocky switchback trail, she caught glimpses of the sculpted sea stacks rising 50 meters from the sand and shallow waters.
From Los Angeles Times
Wearing a green blazer and purple tie, the 78-year-old musician who has a rocky relationship with British tabloids appeared furious while giving evidence.
From Barron's
Here, snow leopards are often called the "ghosts of the mountains", slipping silently across rocky slopes and rarely revealing themselves.
From BBC
Bob’s IPO comes after a rocky stretch for the home-furnishings industry, which has been pressured by higher borrowing costs and uneven consumer demand.
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.
