skyrocket
Medium (C1)Informal/Business/Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
To increase very rapidly and dramatically in amount, number, or level.
Primarily used as a verb describing explosive, often exponential growth. Less commonly used as a noun referring to a type of firework that ascends quickly into the sky before exploding.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Almost always implies an uncontrolled, surprising, or problematic rapid increase, often with negative connotations (e.g., prices, costs, unemployment). Rarely used for positive growth unless in a celebratory or hyperbolic context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical in both varieties. Slight preference for metaphorical use in US business journalism.
Connotations
Strongly implies the increase is sudden, sharp, and potentially unsustainable or alarming.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, particularly in financial news.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Intransitive: Prices skyrocketed.Intransitive with preposition: Demand skyrocketed during the pandemic.Used as a participle adjective: skyrocketing inflationVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Go through the roof/skyrocket (often used interchangeably)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe alarming increases in costs, prices, or demand.
Academic
Used in economics, sociology, and environmental studies to describe rapid trends.
Everyday
Used to complain about rising costs of living (rent, fuel, food).
Technical
Less common; more precise terms like 'exponential increase' are preferred.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The children watched the colourful skyrocket burst over the harbour.
- The finale featured a barrage of skyrockets and Roman candles.
American English
- The Fourth of July celebration ended with a spectacular skyrocket.
- He lit the skyrocket and ran back to a safe distance.
verb
British English
- After the announcement, shares in the tech firm skyrocketed by 150%.
- The cost of building materials has skyrocketed since the new regulations came in.
American English
- Gas prices skyrocketed overnight after the pipeline shutdown.
- Interest in the new product skyrocketed following the influencer's endorsement.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Food prices are skyrocketing.
- Her fame skyrocketed after the movie.
- During the heatwave, electricity use skyrocketed.
- The company's value skyrocketed when they invented the new battery.
- Rental costs in the city centre have skyrocketed, pushing out long-term residents.
- Online sales skyrocketed during the lockdown, changing retail forever.
- Inflation skyrocketed to a 40-year high, prompting aggressive intervention from the central bank.
- Carbon emissions skyrocketed despite global pledges, undermining climate goals.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ROCKET shooting into the SKY – a very fast and vertical rise.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS VERTICAL ELEVATION / RAPID CHANGE IS EXPLOSIVE PROPULSION
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'ракета' (rocket/missile). Здесь это глагол, означающий 'резко взлететь' (о ценах и т.д.).
Common Mistakes
- Using it for slow, gradual increases. *'The population has been skyrocketing slowly for decades.' (Incorrect)
- Using it transitively. *'The company skyrocketed its prices.' (Incorrect – the prices skyrocket).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely context for the verb 'skyrocket'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually negative or neutral, highlighting a problematic or surprising surge. Positive use is possible but less common (e.g., 'Her popularity skyrocketed').
No, it is almost exclusively intransitive. The subject is the thing that increases (e.g., 'Prices skyrocketed'). The cause is mentioned separately.
They are often synonyms, but 'skyrocket' can feel more extreme and dramatic. 'Rocket' is slightly more common in UK English.
No, the verb form is far more common in modern usage. The noun is technical/descriptive.