To play rock music or dance to it with great energy and abandon.
To go crazy dancing or playing music really hard and having a great time.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To play rock music with great energy and enthusiasm, or to dance to rock music without inhibition.
"He put on his favourite album and rocked out alone in his bedroom for an hour."
Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth.
— Wayne's World (1992 film) — the film's central theme of rocking out is encapsulated in this catchphrase, though the exact 'rock out' phrasing appears throughout the film.
To perform or enjoy any activity with maximum energy and enthusiasm (extended use beyond music).
"She rocked out her presentation and got a standing ovation from the whole team."
To rock outward — no clear literal meaning, the 'out' suggests full expression or emergence.
To go crazy dancing or playing music really hard and having a great time.
Strongly associated with rock music culture but used more broadly for any energetic, uninhibited musical enjoyment. Common in American English. Can also mean to leave a place (slang, less common). Often intensified with 'totally' or 'seriously'.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "rock out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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