Rocket — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈrä-kət/ rock·et

Meaning & Definition of Rocket

Rocket (noun)

  1. any of several plants of the mustard family
  2. arugula
  3. dame's rocket
  4. a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion
  5. a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line)
  6. a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used especially for the propulsion of a missile (such as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (such as an airplane)

Rocket (verb)

  1. to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket
  2. to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force
  3. to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket

Rocket (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to proceed or move quickly

    "the startled cat rocketed out of the room"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

  2. to rise abruptly and rapidly

    "the child actor rocketed to stardom at the age of eight"

    similar: shoot (up), skyrocket, soar, zoom
    related: accumulate, appreciate, balloon, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, snowball, swell, wax, crest, peak, surge, heighten, intensify
    opposite: nose-dive, plummet, plunge, slump, tumble
    near: collapse, fall, contract, decrease, diminish, drop, lessen, wane

Related Entry: Rocket plane (noun)

Rocket plane is a different word from Rocket. The synonyms below are for rocket plane, not for rocket.

  1. as in aerospace plane

    similar: aerospace plane, jet, jetliner, superjet, supersonic, supersonic transport, trijet, turbojet, turboprop, bomber, fighter, jump jet, torpedo bomber, warplane, freighter, tanker, amphibian, seaplane, aerodyne, aircraft, air-cushion vehicle, airframe, airship, ship, tractor, biplane, lightplane, tilt-rotor, towplane, trimotor, triplane, airliner, air taxi, liner, glider, sailplane, aeroplane (chiefly British), airplane, plane

Related Entry: Rocket planes (noun)

Rocket planes is a different word from Rocket. The synonyms below are for rocket planes, not for rocket.

  1. as in aerospace planes

    similar: aerospace planes, jetliners, jets, superjets, supersonics, supersonic transports, trijets, turbojets, turboprops, bombers, fighters, jump jets, torpedo bombers, warplanes, freighters, tankers, amphibians, seaplanes, aerodynes, aircraft, air-cushion vehicles, airframes, airships, ships, tractors, biplanes, lightplanes, tilt-rotors, towplanes, trimotors, triplanes, airliners, air taxis, liners, gliders, sailplanes, aeroplanes (chiefly British), airplanes, planes

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rocket

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rocket:

Slang: bomb
barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, run, rush

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Rocket

Words with the opposite meaning of Rocket:

crawl, creep, poke, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, slump, tumble

Related Words for Rocket

beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate

Near Antonyms of Rocket

dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up), collapse, fall, contract, decrease, diminish, drop, lessen, wane

Word Forms of Rocket

Inflections: rocketed, rocketing, rockets

Origin & Etymology of Rocket

borrowed from Middle French roquete, borrowed from Italian (15th-century) ruchetta, rochetta, from ruca "arugula" (going back to Latin ērūca "arugula, caterpillar," of uncertain origin) + -etta, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -itta

First known use: 1530

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Rocket

Words & Phrases Containing Rocket

dame's rocket, rocket plane, rocket ship, rocket sled, rocket science, rocket scientist

Frequently Asked Questions about Rocket

What does "Rocket" mean?

"Rocket" means any of several plants of the mustard family. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: any of several plants of the mustard family. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rocket"?

Other words for "Rocket" include barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb and bowl. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rocket" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rocket"?

There are 107 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rocket". Common alternatives include barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb, bowl, breeze and bundle.

What is the opposite of "Rocket"?

Antonyms of "Rocket" include crawl, creep, poke, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, slump and tumble. Near antonyms include dally, dawdle, dillydally and drag.

How do you use "Rocket" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rocket" in a sentence: "the startled cat rocketed out of the room"; "the child actor rocketed to stardom at the age of eight".

Is "Rocket" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rocket" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Rocket" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Rocket" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Rocket"?

"Rocket" is pronounced /ˈrä-kət/ and divided into syllables as rock·et.