kneel

verb

knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) or kneeled; kneeling

intransitive verb

: to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor
The prisoners were ordered to kneel.
: to fall or rest on the knees
She kneeled on the floor next to the child.

Examples of kneel in a Sentence

She was kneeling on the floor beside her child. He was kneeling in front of the altar and praying.
Recent Examples on the Web Floyd, who was Black, was killed on May 25, 2020, when former Officer Derek Chauvin of Minneapolis kneeled on his neck for nine minutes. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The newspaper photograph showed a man kneeling in the dirt, begging for his life. Hazlitt, 28 Feb. 2024 More than 4 inches of thickness on the bottom allows your child to sit or kneel easily without worrying about jostling or bumps. Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 Even though it’s been eight years since Kaepernick kneeled down on the field, his actions have had long-lasting repercussions. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 8 Feb. 2024 The men, kneeling or sitting on the wet, cold ground, had been detained by the Israeli military in Gaza. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, 29 Jan. 2024 Panicked moments later amid a terrified stampede Super Bowl-winning Chiefs coach Andy Reid knelt to comfort a teenager who had been shot. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2024 Soubirous knelt and prayed the rosary, according to the website. Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2024 The incident occurred in 2021 before the Norman-Midwest City girls high school basketball game when an announcer for a livestream cursed and called one team by a racial epithet as the players kneeled during the national anthem. CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kneel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knelen, from Old English cnēowlian; akin to Old English cnēow knee

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kneel was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near kneel

Cite this Entry

“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

kneel

verb
knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) or kneeled
ˈnē(ə)ld
; kneeling
: to bend the knee : support oneself on the knees
kneeler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on kneel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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