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

The detectives then dragged him by his ankles over the glass that had shattered on the floor, before Algerio knelt on his back, according to the complaint. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026

Knowing that herd bulls often circle their harems to keep intruders away, Snyder knelt and waited. — Rich Larocco, Outdoor Life, 2 Nov. 2026

Soon, players from both teams kneeled, watched, and some seemed to pray as Campbell was receiving attention on the field. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Coach James acknowledged the Yellow Jackets should’ve knelt the ball during its final offensive possession. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 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