kneel

verb

knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) or kneeled; kneeling

intransitive verb

: to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor
The prisoners were ordered to kneel.
: to fall or rest on the knees
She kneeled on the floor next to the child.

Examples of kneel in a Sentence

She was kneeling on the floor beside her child. He was kneeling in front of the altar and praying.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jennings was photographed shortly before he was sworn in, kneeling and raising his right fist during the height of Black Lives Matter activism following Floyd’s death. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 26 May 2025 Police were called, and a white officer named Derek Chauvin killed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine and a half minutes while he was handcuffed face down in the street. Michel Martin, NPR, 25 May 2025 Floyd’s death, which was ruled a homicide, sparked widespread backlash after a video went viral of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 25 May 2025 Four birds lay on the pavement, almost in a row, and Dr. Willard knelt to pick each one up. Vincent Alban, New York Times, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for kneel

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knelen, from Old English cnēowlian; akin to Old English cnēow knee

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kneel was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

kneel

verb
knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) or kneeled
ˈnē(ə)ld
; kneeling
: to bend the knee : support oneself on the knees
kneeler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on kneel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!