knot

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈnät How to pronounce knot (audio)
Synonyms of knotnext
1
a
: an interlacement of the parts of one or more flexible bodies forming a lump or knob (as for fastening or tying together)
b
: the lump or knob so formed
c
: a tight constriction or the sense of constriction
my stomach was all in knots
2
: something hard to solve : problem
a matter full of legal knots
3
: a bond of union
especially : the marriage bond
4
a
: a protuberant lump or swelling in tissue
a knot in a gland
b
: the base of a woody branch enclosed in the stem from which it arises
also : its section in lumber
5
: a cluster of persons or things : group
6
: an ornamental bow of ribbon : cockade
7
a
: a division of the log's line serving to measure a ship's speed
b(1)
: one nautical mile per hour
(2)
: one nautical mile
—not used technically
8
: a closed curve in three-dimensional space

Illustration of knot

Illustration of knot
  • 1 Blackwall hitch
  • 2 carrick bend
  • 3 clove hitch
  • 4 cat's-paw
  • 5 figure eight
  • 6 granny knot
  • 7 bowline
  • 8 overhand knot
  • 9 fisherman's bend
  • 10 half hitch
  • 11 square knot
  • 12 slipknot
  • 13 stevedore knot
  • 14 true lover's knot
  • 15 surgeon's knot
  • 16 Turk's head
  • 17 sheet bend
  • 18 timber hitch
  • 19 seizing
  • 20 rolling hitch
  • 21 sheepshank

knot

2 of 3

verb

knotted; knotting

transitive verb

1
: to tie in or with a knot : form knots in
2
: to unite closely or intricately : entangle
3
: tie sense 4b
knotted the score

intransitive verb

: to form knots
knotter noun

knot

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural knots or knot
: either of two sandpipers (Calidris canutus and C. tenuirostris) that breed in the Arctic and winter in temperate or warm parts of the New and Old World

Synonyms of knot

Relevance

Noun (1)

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of knot in a Sentence

Noun (1) from the summit we could see knots of houses up and down the river valley felt a small knot on the back of his head their business partnership is strengthened by the knot of personal friendship knots of people were quietly chatting around the meeting hall the situation involved so many legal knots that we decided to get a lawyer Verb He knotted his tie so that both ends would be the same length. the extension cords were hopelessly knotted together
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Once the snake falls to the bottom, twirl the bag and tie a knot well up on the twisted section. —Dr. C. E. Kuschel, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026 Hairstylist Adir Abergel, who frequently works with Kidman, pulled the actor's long, strawberry-blonde hair up and twisted the top portion into a medium-sized knot right at the crown of her head, pinning it in place. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Swalwell’s competitors were quick to amplify the assertions, grappling for advantage in a race that remains stubbornly knotted up. —Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 The Codex is one of the greatest works of art produced in the British Isles, then or since, and the culmination of a Celtic-Germanic tradition of interlace, in which bird and animals drawn in the simplest lines are knotted into patterns of stunning complexity. —Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for knot

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English cnotta; akin to Old High German knoto knot

Noun (2)

Middle English knott

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1547, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Phrases Containing knot

Rhymes for knot

See All Rhymes for knot

Browse Nearby Words

Knossos
knot
knot bindweed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knot. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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Kids Definition

knot

1 of 2 noun
ˈnät How to pronounce knot (audio)
1
: an interlacing (as of string or ribbon) that forms a lump or knob
2
: something hard to solve : problem
3
: a bond of union
especially : the marriage bond
4
a
: a lump or swelling in bodily tissue
b
: the base of a woody branch enclosed in the stem from which it arises
also : a section of a knot in lumber
5
: a cluster of persons or things
6
: one nautical mile per hour

knot

2 of 2 verb
knotted; knotting
1
: to tie in or with a knot
2
: to unite closely

Medical Definition

knot

noun
ˈnät How to pronounce knot (audio)
1
: an interlacing of the parts of one or more flexible bodies (as threads or sutures) in a lump to prevent their spontaneous separation see surgeon's knot
2
: a usually firm or hard lump, swelling, or protuberance (as in a muscle or on the surface of a bone) or process
a knot in a gland
a bone with two or three knots
knot verb
knotted; knotting

More from Merriam-Webster on knot

Nglish: Translation of knot for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about knot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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