skyrocket

[skahy-rok-it]

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

/ ˈskaɪˌrɒkɪt /

noun

1. another word for rocket 1

verb

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of skyrocket¹

First recorded in 1680–90; sky + rocket ¹

Example Sentences

He says cost pressures have "never been as bad", adding "we're hammered from every direction" by skyrocketing sugar and chocolate prices, national minimum wage increases and rises in business rates.

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The proposal raises hopes that legislators can reach a deal to keep the ACA subsidies and prevent premiums from skyrocketing next year.

Read more on Barron's

While a separate issue from reselling, that demand-reactive pricing system showed ticket costs skyrocketing in real time while fans waited in digital lines to buy them.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

You couldn’t predict in advance that Russia was going to invade Ukraine, and wheat went skyrocketing higher.

Read more on MarketWatch

Inflation skyrocketed, the country's foreign exchange reserves dropped precipitously, and its foreign debt doubled since 2016.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• catapult 
• escalate 
• rise 
• rocket 
• shoot up 
• zoom