knead

verb

kneaded; kneading; kneads

transitive verb

1
a
: to work and press into a mass with or as if with the hands
kneading dough
b
: to manipulate or massage with a kneading motion
kneaded sore neck muscles
2
: to form or shape by or as if by kneading
kneadable adjective
kneader noun

Examples of knead in a Sentence

Knead the dough until it is smooth.
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.
Stir in flour mixture until combined, kneading in flour mixture, if needed. Staff Author, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025 Caught in a gravitational tug-of-war between Jupiter’s intense gravity and that of other nearby large moons, Io’s innards are kneaded like dough by tidal forces, generating immense heat that powers enormous eruptions. Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025 Because there were only seven minutes left in the game, however, the 49ers quarterback instead gobbled three bananas while trainers intensively kneaded the muscles in his arm. Matt Barrows, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 In an Instagram post announcing the new Vibes product, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a carousel of AI videos, including a cartoon version of himself, an army of fuzzy, beady-eyed beings jumping around and a kitten kneading a ball of dough. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for knead

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kneden, from Old English cnedan; akin to Old High German knetan to knead

First Known Use

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knead. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

knead

verb
1
: to work and press into a mass with or as if with the hands
2
: to treat as if by kneading : massage
kneader noun

More from Merriam-Webster on knead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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