rocket
gb/ɹˈɑkət/ us/ɹˈɑkət/
B1
English
~ 7700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
vehicle or missile driven by rocket
A kind of vehicle or weapon that moves because gas from burning fuel is pushed out of its back, often used to go into space or to attack a target.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "rocket" and "spaceship". A "rocket" is the powered vehicle or projectile itself, while "spaceship" usually suggests a space vehicle that carries people and can be used like a ship. Learners may also overuse "rocket" for all space vehicles; satellites and space stations are not usually called rockets once they are in orbit.
Synonyms
missile (Usually emphasizes a weapon designed to be fired at a target; may be guided or unguided.)
|
spacecraft (Refers only to vehicles used in space, not to weapons fired in the atmosphere.)
Antonyms
glider (A flying craft that has no engine and does not use powered thrust.)
Collocations
launch a rocket
|space rocket
|rocket launch
|rocket attack
|rocket fuel
|rocket scientist
Themes
science
|technology
|war
|transportation
|politics
Examples
- The company plans to launch a reusable rocket next year.
- A rocket carrying several satellites exploded shortly after takeoff.
- Residents reported hearing the sound of a rocket hitting the outskirts of the city.
- The children watched the small model rocket shoot into the sky.
Learner examples
- The rocket went high into the sky.
- They watched a rocket take off on TV.
- The army fired a rocket at the target.
Verb
B2
action
2
rise or increase very fast
To go up very fast, especially in number, price, or level.
Usage pattern:
to rocket from [amount] to [amount]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "rocket" as a transitive verb in this sense (e.g., *"The company rocketed the prices"*). In standard usage, the thing that goes up is the subject: "Prices rocketed" or "Sales rocketed". If you want a transitive verb, use "raise" or "increase" ("The company raised the prices").
Synonyms
soar (Common in business and news; suggests a big and often positive increase.)
|
skyrocket (Very close in meaning; slightly more informal and vivid.)
Antonyms
plummet (Describes a very fast and sudden fall in amount or level.)
Collocations
prices rocket
|rocket in value
|rocket from ... to ...
|sales rocketed
|costs have rocketed
|rocket overnight
Themes
business
|statistics
|news
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Housing prices have rocketed over the past decade.
- The number of online orders rocketed during the holiday season.
- Demand for electric cars rocketed after the new law was announced.
- Our electricity bill rocketed when we started using air conditioning every day.
Learner examples
- Food prices rocketed last year.
- The company's sales rocketed in June.
- After the video went viral, his followers rocketed.
- The temperature rocketed in the afternoon.
Noun
B1
entity
3
peppery salad leaf (arugula)
A small green salad plant with a strong taste; in American English it is called "arugula."
Common mistake:
Learners may think of space travel when they see "rocket salad" and not realize that "rocket" here means a type of salad leaf. North American learners may not recognize that British "rocket" is the same as American "arugula."
Synonyms
arugula (The usual word in American and Canadian English; same plant.)
Collocations
rocket salad
|wild rocket
|baby rocket
|rocket leaves
|rocket and parmesan
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
Examples
- I ordered a steak with a side of rocket and tomatoes.
- She sprinkled fresh rocket over the pizza before serving it.
- The salad was made with rocket, pear, and blue cheese.
Learner examples
- We had pasta with rocket and cheese.
- He put rocket and tomato in his sandwich.
- She likes the strong taste of rocket in her salad.
Noun
B2
entity
4
firework that shoots upward
A kind of firework on a stick that flies up into the sky and then explodes with lights or noise.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "rocket" for all types of fireworks. In English, "rocket" is just one type; others include "fountain", "Roman candle", or "firecracker." When you are not sure of the type, use the general word "fireworks."
Synonyms
firework (General word; does not specify the rocket shape or movement.)
Collocations
set off a rocket
|fire a rocket
|sky rocket
|rocket display
|Roman candle and rockets
Themes
celebrations
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- They lit a rocket and watched it burst into green and gold sparks.
- A stray rocket hit the roof and started a small fire.
- Children were warned not to hold rockets in their hands.
Learner examples
- He set off a rocket in the garden.
- The rocket went up and made a loud noise.
- We watched rockets in the sky on New Year's Eve.
Verb
B2
action
5
move extremely fast, like a rocket
To go very fast and suddenly in one direction, like a rocket in the sky.
Usage pattern:
to rocket [adverb] / in/into/through [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this physical-movement sense with the "increase quickly" sense and use it with money or numbers where "rocketed" is possible but ambiguous. With physical movement, the subject is a moving object like a car, ball, or person; with increases, the subject is an amount, price, or level.
Synonyms
shoot (Common in this sense ("shoot past"); very similar idea of sudden fast movement.)
|
zoom (Informal; suggests fast movement with a loud or smooth sound.)
Antonyms
crawl (Describes moving very slowly, the opposite of rocketing.)
Collocations
rocket past
|rocket up
|rocket into the air
|rocket through the sky
|rocket down the highway
Themes
movement
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The car rocketed past us on the motorway.
- The ball rocketed into the top corner of the net.
- A flare rocketed into the night sky, lighting up the beach.
- The elevator rocketed to the 50th floor in seconds.
Learner examples
- The train rocketed through the tunnel.
- The plane rocketed into the sky.
- The ball rocketed over the goalkeeper.
- The roller coaster rocketed down the first hill.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
6
rocket engine or motor
A kind of engine that pushes gas out very fast to make a vehicle or missile move, used in rockets and spacecraft.
Common mistake:
Learners often do not realize that "rocket" can mean just the engine, not the whole vehicle. In technical writing, context usually makes it clear whether "rocket" refers to an engine, a stage, or a complete vehicle.
Synonyms
rocket engine (More explicit technical term; the same thing but clearer that it is an engine.)
Collocations
liquid-fuel rocket
|solid-fuel rocket
|rocket motor
|rocket engine
|strap-on rocket
Themes
science
|technology
|transportation
Examples
- Each booster contains a solid-fuel rocket that burns for about two minutes.
- The new rocket is more efficient and produces less vibration.
- Engineers tested the main rocket on the ground before attaching it to the spacecraft.
Learner examples
- The rocket on the back of the plane helps it go faster.
- They are working on a new rocket for the spaceship.
- This rocket uses a special kind of fuel.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rocket
IPA
GB/ɹˈɑkət/
US/ɹˈɑkət/
Syllables & stress
rock - et (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (rock)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rocket
- Plural: rockets
Verb
- Base: rocket
- 3rd Person Singular: rockets
- Present Participle: rocketing
- Past: rocketed
Word family
Forms
rockets
noun
rocketing
verb
rocketed
verb
Related words
rocketry
noun
Advanced or less common
rocketeer
noun
Expressions
give someone a rocket
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ə ɹˈɑkət/
idiom
informal
strongly tell someone off
To speak to someone very angrily because they have done something wrong.
Examples
- The manager gave him a rocket for being late again.
- She’ll give you a rocket if she finds out you broke her laptop.
- The coach gave the whole team a rocket after their poor performance.
like a rocket
1/lˈaɪk ə ɹˈɑkət/
idiom
informal
very fast, very suddenly
Used to say that something moves or increases extremely fast and suddenly.
Examples
- The car took off like a rocket.
- Her career went up like a rocket after the show.
- The ball shot into the air like a rocket.
not rocket science
1/nˈɑt ɹˈɑkət sˈaɪəns/
idiom
informal
said when something is easy
Used to say that something is not very difficult to understand or do.
Examples
- Just follow the instructions; it's not rocket science.
- Cooking basic pasta is not rocket science.
- Managing your password safely is important, but it's not rocket science.
rocket ahead
1/ɹˈɑkət əhˈɛd/
phrasal verb
advance or progress much faster
To move, grow, or make progress much faster than other people or things.
Examples
- The company has rocketed ahead of its competitors in the last two years.
- Her career rocketed ahead after she won the award.
- Electric cars have rocketed ahead in popularity.
rocket fuel
1/ɹˈɑkət fjˈul/
idiom
informal
very strong drink or stimulant
A very strong drink or substance that gives you a lot of energy, usually said jokingly about coffee or alcohol.
Examples
- This coffee is rocket fuel; I can't sleep after one cup.
- Be careful with that homemade wine—it's rocket fuel.
- He drinks an energy drink that's basically rocket fuel before the gym.
rocket scientist
1/ɹˈɑkət sˈaɪəntɪst/
fixed phrase
expert in rocket science, or very clever person
Literally, a person who studies or designs rockets; informally, a very clever person, especially in science.
Examples
- You don't have to be a rocket scientist to use this software.
- He really is a rocket scientist who works for a space agency.
- She's no rocket scientist, but she knows how to run a business.
rocket ship
1/ɹˈɑkət ʃˈɪp/
fixed phrase
spacecraft shaped like a rocket
A spacecraft that looks like a rocket and can travel into space.
Examples
- As a child he dreamed of flying a rocket ship.
- The cartoon shows a rocket ship landing on the moon.
- They built a model rocket ship for the school project.
rocket to fame
1/ɹˈɑkət tə fˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
become famous very suddenly
To become famous very quickly, in a short time.
Examples
- She rocketed to fame after posting a single video online.
- The young actor rocketed to fame with his first film.
- The band rocketed to fame in the early 2000s.
rocket up
1/ɹˈɑkət ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
go up very quickly
To go up to a much higher level very quickly, especially in price, number, or rate.
Examples
- Rents have rocketed up in the city centre.
- Fuel costs rocketed up after the new tax was introduced.
- Unemployment figures rocketed up during the crisis.
rocket science
1/ɹˈɑkət sˈaɪəns/
idiom
science of rockets and spaceflight
Science and engineering that study how rockets and spacecraft work and fly.
Examples
- He has a PhD in rocket science.
- Rocket science requires a deep understanding of physics and engineering.
- The book explains rocket science for general readers.
rocket science
2/ɹˈɑkət sˈaɪəns/
idiom
informal
something very difficult to do or understand
Used to say something is not very hard, often in the negative form ‘It’s not rocket science’.
Examples
- Fixing this computer isn’t rocket science.
- Learning to cook is not rocket science.