1
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something
my knee knocked against the table leg when I tried to get up quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
threatened to knock him upside the head if he didn't do as he was told
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to blame
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
hey, don't knock it until you've tried it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the door a good knock
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
getting his college degree was a six year adventure not without its share of knocks along the way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in setback
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the geneticist's reputation took a knock when several of his peers were unable to confirm his research findings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knock
Christine Pelisek, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Luckily, this is a doozy, knocking $200 off the list price on one of our favorite portable heaters and fans.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2025
Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
The other knock against the 4201dw is its mediocre LCD and 360-degree dial controller.
—David English, PCMAG, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
The two women were later charged with felony child abuse in August 2023 after a neighbor called 911 to report that Franke’s emaciated son knocked at his door asking for help.
—Christine Pelisek, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Luckily, this is a doozy, knocking $200 off the list price on one of our favorite portable heaters and fans.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
Boeser sustained a concussion on a cheap Tanner Jeannot hit in November, Hronek missed six weeks with a lower-body injury and in the final game before the Christmas break, both Quinn Hughes and Pettersson sustained knocks that would cost them games and comfort on the ice.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
The other knock against the 4201dw is its mediocre LCD and 360-degree dial controller.
—David English, PCMAG, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Verb
-
Rookie Kristian Campbell will start in left field, Jarren Duran will bump over to center field and Wilyer Abreu will start in right.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Sammy can hardly pass by my chair in the press box without bumping into it.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Joshua Hur hit a home run, Trey Ebel had a two-run double and Ethan Bingaman contributed an RBI triple.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The purge led to a wave of artistic resignations and withdrawals; opera star Renée Fleming gave up her position as artistic adviser to the center, and the producers of the Broadway hit Hamilton withdrew the show from a scheduled engagement, among others.—
Chloe Veltman,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Usually that takes the form of falsely blaming Israel for all Palestinian woes instead of recognizing Hamas's strategy of profiting off death, whether Israeli or Palestinian.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
-
President Donald Trump repeatedly tried to blame water issues and the Los Angeles fires on the Newsom administration’s management of Delta water supplies.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The library now needs to build out the new Canadian entrance to code — a blow to a not-for-profit organization that has existed on a limited endowment since 1908.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
-
New York City's drinking water could eventually absorb a blow if reservoirs supplying a portion of it become vacated due to rising salinity, according to a new report.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Miami’s misfortune with close games and big leads hasn’t dissuaded Spoelstra’s goal to maximize each possession and win every game, even if his roster is significantly different from five months ago.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Healthy bodies are the only thing that can make a difference at Madison Square Garden, but where there is great demand, misfortune would have it there is also a great shortage.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Halterman recently had a setback with her health following a recent bout of COVID-19 earlier this year that landed her in the hospital for three days, requiring a heart monitor.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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The smartest entrepreneurs use tough times as a launchpad, not a setback.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But Isaiah Jackson’s runner in the lane banged off the back iron and the Red Raiders were on the go.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2025
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But for those banging the drum to get Tad out to pasture, remember: The grass isn’t always greener.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But that all changed in December, when Trump first threatened to slap heavy tariffs on his northern neighbor.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The short answer: President Trump and his insistence on slapping tariffs on key trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and China.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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