as in to buckle (down)
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Recent Examples of knuckle down
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—
Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Rooney knuckled down and was United’s best player for the first half of the following season.
—Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the actor only ever knuckles down at being loathsome.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Chelsea have had to knuckle down to beat United before.
—Jessy Parker Humphreys, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Eddie Howe’s arrival as manager and a positional change helped, as did a willingness to knuckle down.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
On the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend 2019, Scott Jones did his usual morning chore of dropping his eldest kids off at school and returning to his Arizona home office to knuckle down to work.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 17 June 2024
The Biden administration appears to be playing at war rather than knuckling down and winning it.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2024
Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Rooney knuckled down and was United’s best player for the first half of the following season.
—Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the actor only ever knuckles down at being loathsome.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Chelsea have had to knuckle down to beat United before.
—Jessy Parker Humphreys, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Eddie Howe’s arrival as manager and a positional change helped, as did a willingness to knuckle down.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
On the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend 2019, Scott Jones did his usual morning chore of dropping his eldest kids off at school and returning to his Arizona home office to knuckle down to work.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 17 June 2024
The Biden administration appears to be playing at war rather than knuckling down and winning it.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle down
Verb
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Lugo was the starting pitcher in the WBC championship game and will return after not pitching in the 2023 competition.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2025
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After pitching in five games as a rookie with the Kansas City Royals in 2020 and 2021, Blewett didn’t return to the majors until 2024 with the Twins.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Nuggets plan for Leonard for a large chunk of the game was to place the smaller Jamal Murray on him, but have other defenders dig in on Leonard to help Murray out.—
Mikai Bruce,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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It’s believed that there are now more than 100 baby trout swishing around their new digs in Arroyo Hondo Creek in Santa Barbara County.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20down. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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