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.
At the August prayer event, attendees laid their hands on Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who knelt on the floor with his palms outstretched to receive prayers from religious leaders. Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Dec. 2025 When Turner knelt in protest of a trans fencer at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland during the final weekend of March, she was issued a black card, the most severe penalty in the sport. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025 The settlement exceeds the $27 million the city of Minneapolis agreed to pay the family of George Floyd, whose May 2020 murder by a police officer who knelt on his neck sparked a nationwide racial reckoning. CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025 Floyd, a 46-year-old security guard from Minnesota, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis, sparking sometimes violent protests across the country after footage emerged of him pleading for air as a police officer kneeled on his neck. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 8 Dec. 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 18 Dec. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!