plural knives
ˈnīvz 
often attributive
1
a
: a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp blade fastened to a handle
b
: a weapon or tool resembling a knife
2
: a sharp cutting blade or tool in a machine
3
: surgery sense 4
—usually used in the phrase under the knife
knifed; knifing
1
: to use a knife on
specifically
: to stab, slash, or wound with a knife
2
: to cut, mark, or spread with a knife
3
: to try to defeat by underhanded means
4
: to move like a knife in
birds knifing the autumn sky
: to cut a way with or as if with a knife blade
the cruiser knifed through the heavy seas
Examples of knife in a Sentence
Noun
Each dinner guest gets two forks, a knife, and a spoon.
He pulled a knife on me and threatened to stab me with it.
Verb
He died after being knifed in the chest.
ships knifing through the waves
Recent Examples on the Web
USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
These songs contain some of the singer-songwriter’s most biting lyrics, the kind that twist the emotional knife into anyone’s heart.
—Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
According to witness accounts in a video circulating on social media, Holmes fired shots as the man allegedly tried to rob a woman and her child while wielding a knife.
—The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
Police and community leaders said public anxiety had been heightened by a lone assailant’s knife attack in a Sydney shopping mall on April 13 that killed five women and a male security guard who attempted to intervene.
—Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
Suddenly, Cole pulled about a 9-inch butcher knife from his body and held it to the victim's arm.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Dull knives don’t stand a chance against this professional-style knife sharpener.
—Lauren Finney Harden, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024
On Saturday, Joel Cauchi was identified as the assailant who carried out a knife attack in the Westfield Bondi Junction mall near world-famous Bondi Beach, leaving six people dead and more than a dozen injured.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 15 Apr. 2024
In January, a disgruntled older man stabbed Mr. Lee in the neck with a knife.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024
MacKinnon’s ability to knife through multiple waves of defenders who are ostensibly set up specifically with a plan to contain him was on display earlier this month at Madison Square Garden.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2024
Then after an Izzo timeout with 5:23 to play, Walker knifed into the paint and finished through traffic to put MSU up, 56-63.
—Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024
But redshirt senior forward Patrick McCaffery knifed through the heart of the Terps’ defense to bank in a layup just before the buzzer sounded to send Iowa into halftime with a 37-31 lead.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024
In 2006, Park Geun-hye, then a conservative opposition leader, was knifed by a man with a box cutter during an election rally.
—Hyung-Jin Kim and Jiwon Song, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024
Jones knifed through the Dallas Cowboys for 118 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns in a 48-32 upset win.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024
Folsom threatened to regain the lead late in the third quarter, but Drew Cofield knifed through the line to block Lincoln Phelps’ 32-yard field-goal attempt and teammate David Montes recovered.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2023
Investigators believe she was knifed in her home, stumbled outside and collapsed.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 25 Oct. 2023
Noun
Don't load sharp knives and wooden spoons in the dishwasher.
—USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
These songs contain some of the singer-songwriter’s most biting lyrics, the kind that twist the emotional knife into anyone’s heart.
—Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
According to witness accounts in a video circulating on social media, Holmes fired shots as the man allegedly tried to rob a woman and her child while wielding a knife.
—The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
Police and community leaders said public anxiety had been heightened by a lone assailant’s knife attack in a Sydney shopping mall on April 13 that killed five women and a male security guard who attempted to intervene.
—Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
Suddenly, Cole pulled about a 9-inch butcher knife from his body and held it to the victim's arm.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Dull knives don’t stand a chance against this professional-style knife sharpener.
—Lauren Finney Harden, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024
On Saturday, Joel Cauchi was identified as the assailant who carried out a knife attack in the Westfield Bondi Junction mall near world-famous Bondi Beach, leaving six people dead and more than a dozen injured.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 15 Apr. 2024
In January, a disgruntled older man stabbed Mr. Lee in the neck with a knife.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Verb
The Monitor has heard many accounts of individuals knifed for a bag of flour.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024
MacKinnon’s ability to knife through multiple waves of defenders who are ostensibly set up specifically with a plan to contain him was on display earlier this month at Madison Square Garden.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2024
Then after an Izzo timeout with 5:23 to play, Walker knifed into the paint and finished through traffic to put MSU up, 56-63.
—Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024
But redshirt senior forward Patrick McCaffery knifed through the heart of the Terps’ defense to bank in a layup just before the buzzer sounded to send Iowa into halftime with a 37-31 lead.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024
In 2006, Park Geun-hye, then a conservative opposition leader, was knifed by a man with a box cutter during an election rally.
—Hyung-Jin Kim and Jiwon Song, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024
Jones knifed through the Dallas Cowboys for 118 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns in a 48-32 upset win.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024
Folsom threatened to regain the lead late in the third quarter, but Drew Cofield knifed through the line to block Lincoln Phelps’ 32-yard field-goal attempt and teammate David Montes recovered.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2023
Investigators believe she was knifed in her home, stumbled outside and collapsed.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 25 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knife.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near knife
Cite this Entry
“Knife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knife. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
knife
noun
plural knives
ˈnīvz
1
: any of various instruments used in surgery primarily to sever tissues: as
a
: a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp blade attached to a handle
b
: an instrument that cuts by means of an electric current
2
: surgery sense 3
—usually used in the phrase under the knife
went under the knife yesterday
was afraid of the knife
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