kneel

verb

ˈnēl 

knelt ˈnelt  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

Bryce Black kneels in a wheat field battered by intense drought. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Nearly four years after Kaepernick kneeled in response to police brutality, worldwide protests emerged in the wake of Floyd’s killing. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026

In May 2018, NFL owners voted unanimously to approve a policy that would fine teams for players who kneel during the national anthem. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Adair died in jail following a dispute with deputies, including Fatherley, who knelt on his back. — Sofi Zeman august 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for kneel

• beal
• chiel
• ciel
• creel
• deal
• diel
• eel
• feel
• feil
• heal
• heel
• keel

Kids Definition

kneel

verb

ˈnē(ə)l 

knelt ˈnelt  or kneeled

ˈnē(ə)ld

; kneeling

: to bend the knee : support oneself on the knees

kneeler noun