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
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.
When Jack Jones interfered with Hunter Renfrow, Young kneeled out the final seconds of the Panthers’ biggest comeback since a 21-17 win at Philadelphia in 2018. Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025 In an interview with CNN, D’Agostino described being forced to sit or kneel on concrete in front of an Israeli flag for hours at a time, being left in cold temperatures with little clothing, having his belongings seized, mocked and destroyed and having his wrists bound tightly. Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 Last week, Patel fired roughly 20 FBI employees who were photographed kneeling during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020. Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Oct. 2025 The buck was standing broadside at 32 yards, so Piepenburg nocked another arrow, knelt to thread it through tangled cover, and released. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kneel

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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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