as in to buckle (down)
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Recent Examples of knuckle down
One teacher remembered him as an unspectacular student, more focused on making his cohort laugh than knuckling down.
—
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 Apr. 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
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
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 Apr. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle down
Verb
-
That was the only hit off Drew Rasmussen, who threw 74 pitches in six shutout innings and did not permit a runner to reach third.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
Dembele is left to lead the press on his own and cut the pitch in half by arcing his press to shut the passing lane between Villa’s centre-backs.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
So dig in and enjoy, and make sure to play our daily Connections: Sports Edition, too.—
Bob Harkins,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
In 2016, Etzel dug in and planted, and, alongside his wife, Erica, Rodeo Hills was born.—
Wendy Altschuler,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20down. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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