knelt
ˈnelt 
or kneeled; kneeling
or kneeled; kneeling
: 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
Some can be seen with their hands tied behind their backs, kneeling with their heads touching the floor.
—
Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 6 June 2026
Kaepernick was blackballed from the NFL for his decision to kneel on the sideline during the playing of the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, when Chauvin, a white former Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Jue brought up Wasil and Hollister, who knelt facing each other, as Romeo and Juliet had in Act II.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for kneel
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Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 6 June 2026
Kaepernick was blackballed from the NFL for his decision to kneel on the sideline during the playing of the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, when Chauvin, a white former Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Jue brought up Wasil and Hollister, who knelt facing each other, as Romeo and Juliet had in Act II.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for kneel
Cite this Entry
“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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