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.
Denegal kneeled at the 11-yard line on third-and-3 with about 30 seconds remaining, allowing the Aztecs to run down the clock to two seconds before calling a timeout to position Plascencia for the game-winning kick. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025 Some of the agents involved that day told CNN that they were confronted with protesters and decided to try kneeling to de-escalate, and the protesters moved on. Huo Jingnan, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025 Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis after a White police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025 National Guard members had previous kneeled during the protests in a similar situation, according to CNN. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 27 Sep. 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 1 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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