1
as in bumping
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 hitting
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 blaming
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—
Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2026
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
One of the people who remembers Obama knocking doors while campaigning to become a senator was 83-year-old Lynnette Jennings, who came to the watch party with her daughter and granddaughter.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
The last act of a physical first half resulted in Freeman knocking Jordan Bos off the ball in the American’s box, sending the Australian down into the ground.
—David Close, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
And major companies have come knocking for collaborations, including the AI assistant Claude, which was the first in line.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2026
The complaint alleges Hickey was walking along a spectator pathway outside the arena fence when Party Bus suddenly jumped into the crowd and landed on top of her, knocking Hickey to the ground and crushing her right shoulder and right calf.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
After knocking England out of the 2018 World Cup, for example, Croatia’s players were keen to throw that line back in their face afterwards.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2026
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
One of the people who remembers Obama knocking doors while campaigning to become a senator was 83-year-old Lynnette Jennings, who came to the watch party with her daughter and granddaughter.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
The last act of a physical first half resulted in Freeman knocking Jordan Bos off the ball in the American’s box, sending the Australian down into the ground.
—David Close, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
And major companies have come knocking for collaborations, including the AI assistant Claude, which was the first in line.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2026
The complaint alleges Hickey was walking along a spectator pathway outside the arena fence when Party Bus suddenly jumped into the crowd and landed on top of her, knocking Hickey to the ground and crushing her right shoulder and right calf.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
After knocking England out of the 2018 World Cup, for example, Croatia’s players were keen to throw that line back in their face afterwards.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking
Verb
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Hemani’s case landed at a time when state cannabis laws and federal gun rules are bumping heads more than ever.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Use light pressure when rubbing the skin, and avoid washing multiple peaches at once to prevent them from bumping into each other.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
The purpose of any heat shield is to be sure the extreme temperatures that objects hitting Earth’s atmosphere experience don’t harm the crew or cargo inside the vehicle.—
Margaret Landis,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Rodrigo eventually countered that her detractors were blaming the wrong person.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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On Thursday, the company was sued by a Canadian blaming the chatbot for her daughter’s decision to hang herself.—
Bernard Condon,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
Verb
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The bomber was in the air a very short time before slamming into the ground about halfway down the runway.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
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By Monday morning, Israeli politicians from across the spectrum were already slamming the deal, despite the fact that its details remain largely ill-defined.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
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As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The group issued a point-by-point analysis of the memorandum, criticizing it for potentially freeing up tens of billions of dollars for Iran without putting sufficient safeguards to ensure the country won’t use the money to fund operations against the United States.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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The week, however, was not without controversy for the South Korean team, as the squad barred press from their home country after audio of media criticizing the mandatory military service exemption granted to Son was leaked.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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And on the other hand, there've been some folks who would like to see me out every day, right, banging the drum.—
Mark Guarino,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
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Cars pushed through the crowd, hitting at least one person as agitators continued banging, kicking and blocking government vehicles.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The deputy's response, seen on bodycam video slapping the suspect during her arrest, is under review, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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In the run-up to the elections, Russia upped pressure on its ally by slapping import bans on Armenian products, including fresh fruit, flowers and spirits.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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