Meanings
nounrocket surgery (uncountable)
- humorousidiomaticuncountableAnything overly complex, detailed, or confusing.
It's not rocket surgery. Just screw in the bulb and flip the switch.
Synonyms: rocket science, brain surgery
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAnything overly complex, detailed, or confusing.
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Also see
Origin
A deliberate mixed metaphor combining rocket science and brain surgery.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
rocket surgery. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rocket%20surgery
MLA
“rocket surgery.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rocket%20surgery. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rocket surgery,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rocket%20surgery.
Source: rocket surgery on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.