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

And just as her sevens career skyrocketed to the top, a similar path is now being paved in XVs.

From BBC

High unemployment in the 1980s was followed by cuts to public spending after the financial crash of 2007/8 and the skyrocketing cost of living this decade.

From BBC

Directed by Jay Roach and written by Tony McNamara, Theo is an architect whose career collapses at the same time as his wife's career as an up-and-coming chef skyrockets.

From BBC

Under the most recent threshold of $800, the number of packages entering the U.S. duty-free has skyrocketed.

From Los Angeles Times

The rise of online shopping means click-and-collect services have skyrocketed in popularity, with venues from local newsagents to petrol stations offering parcel send-and-deliver services.

From BBC

Related Words

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