1
as in stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
knock it off!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abandoning
to stop doing (something) permanently
decided it was time to knock off telling fantastic fibs about her family background
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in subtracting
to take away (an amount or number) from a total
a proposal to knock 10 cents off the gasoline tax
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in robbing
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
Bonnie and Clyde coped with the Great Depression by knocking off banks
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in murdering
to put to death deliberately
various assassins have tried to knock off the dictator over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking off
Texas, meanwhile, rode the momentum after knocking off likely NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa and BYU in the first round.
—
Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Two of the biggest of the first day were Atlantic 10 champion Virginia Commonwealth — the 11th seed in the West Region — beating 6th seed and perennial power North Carolina, and Big South Champion High Point — a 12th seed in the West — knocking off 5th seed Wisconsin from the Big Ten.
—Josh Taylor, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
The Ladyjacks secured their trip to Austin by knocking off the top two seeds at the Southland Conference Tournament.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 16 Mar. 2026
Three days after knocking off section top-seed Holy Family, Blake beat fourth-seed Minneapolis North 64-54 in the semifinals.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026
Although the close game was unfamiliar for Madison, Brownfield was used to it after knocking off Shallowater by scoring five points in the final two seconds of the regional final last week.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Ted Hotaling‘s squad won three straight NEC games in January, knocking off FDU, Wagner and Chicago State.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
The senior guard finished with a game-high 14 points, as the Panthers closed things on a late 10-0 run en route to knocking off rival Duxbury.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Because chucking a mini pillow and knocking off a person’s hat is *thisclose* to knocking off a person.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Two of the biggest of the first day were Atlantic 10 champion Virginia Commonwealth — the 11th seed in the West Region — beating 6th seed and perennial power North Carolina, and Big South Champion High Point — a 12th seed in the West — knocking off 5th seed Wisconsin from the Big Ten.
—Josh Taylor, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
The Ladyjacks secured their trip to Austin by knocking off the top two seeds at the Southland Conference Tournament.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 16 Mar. 2026
Three days after knocking off section top-seed Holy Family, Blake beat fourth-seed Minneapolis North 64-54 in the semifinals.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026
Although the close game was unfamiliar for Madison, Brownfield was used to it after knocking off Shallowater by scoring five points in the final two seconds of the regional final last week.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Ted Hotaling‘s squad won three straight NEC games in January, knocking off FDU, Wagner and Chicago State.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
The senior guard finished with a game-high 14 points, as the Panthers closed things on a late 10-0 run en route to knocking off rival Duxbury.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Because chucking a mini pillow and knocking off a person’s hat is *thisclose* to knocking off a person.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking off
Verb
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Brooke Bereuter was masterful in goal for Grapevine shutting out Argyle (18-4-3) until the shootout, including stopping a key penalty kick in the first half.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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And on Monday, March 30, the court upheld the stay, effectively stopping any chance that the execution would happen as scheduled.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Californians are abandoning the Golden State, chiefly because of high housing costs and finding better luck at becoming homeowners elsewhere, a new study found.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Safari shut down in 1978 after passengers kept abandoning their Jeeps mid-trip.—
Abbey Briscoe,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Willis represents a first move of building, not subtracting.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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This chicken is a great recipe to customize to your preferences, adding and subtracting fresh veggies to suit your taste.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Police have accused a man of robbing a convenience store in Fairfield earlier this month.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
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And not only the best players but the oldest ones, robbing mid-majors of their great advantage — veteran rosters perfecting intricate offenses for years — back when power conferences trafficked in one-and-done stars amid more restrictive transfer regulations.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What happened Israel’s parliament on Monday gave final approval to legislation that makes death by hanging the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Israel’s parliament approved death penalty by hanging for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, making capital punishment the default sentence in military courts.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ducks captain Radko Gudas, slowed by a lower-body injury, insisted on playing in the rematch of a March 12 game in which his knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews led to a season-ending injury for the Toronto captain and a five-game suspension for Gudas.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The legislation also calls for ending the sales tax on school supplies like pens, pencils, crayons, backpacks and lunchboxes, along with energy efficient appliances for residential use, including washers, dryers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and standard-size refrigerators, among others.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Was quitting school for TV a tough sell for Alcock’s mother?—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
31 Mar. 2026
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However, the fallout from this event is likely not in the rearview mirror yet due to more than 500 TSA officers quitting during the shutdown, according to DHS.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The union has proposed sharing the revenue without deducting expenses to secure a larger share of gross revenue for the players.—
Chantel Jennings,
New York Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Justice Department prosecutors also accused him of diverting money from his law firm to pay gambling debts and falsely deducting gambling debts as business expenses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20off. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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