Meanings
- figurativelyIn a bad state; experiencing difficulties or at risk of failing.
Joe and Tammy's relationship is on the rocks again.
2 more examples
I knew my business was on the rocks, so I started considering going into voluntary bankruptcy.
Everything of interest happens in the first ten minutes. A male model called Carl (Harris Dickinson) senses after a calamitous audition that his career is already on the rocks, all washed up.
2022 May 21, Peter Bradshaw, “Triangle of Sadness review – heavy-handed satire on the super-rich loses its shape”, in The Guardian
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
From the allusion of a ship running aground against rocks and breaking apart. The poured over ice sense is due to ice's resemblance to rocks.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian с лед
- с лед (s led)poured over ice
Finnish jäillä, kivillä
- jäilläpoured over ice
- kivilläin a bad state
- karillain a bad state
French avec des glaçons
- avec des glaçonspoured over ice
German mit Eis
- mit Eispoured over ice
Greek με πάγο, με παγάκια
- με πάγο (me págo)poured over ice
- με παγάκια (me pagákia)poured over ice
Hungarian jéggel
- jéggelpoured over ice
Italian con ghiaccio
- con ghiacciopoured over ice
Japanese ロック
- ロック (rokku)poured over ice
Russian со льдом
- со льдом (so lʹdom)poured over ice
Cite this entry
on the rocks. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20rocks
“on the rocks.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20rocks. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the rocks,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20rocks.
Source: on the rocks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.