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.
Council then concluded his 3-minute, 13-second speech by kneeling and kissing the center-court Jayhawk, a fitting end to the speech portion of the afternoon. Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2026 Partial video publicly released by the Sheriff’s Office shows jailers pepper-spray Johnson and handcuff him facedown on the ground before one officer kneels on his back for about 90 seconds. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026 In one of the videos, a man in a full flight suit and helmet can be seen kneeling on the ground next to an orange and white parachute and a parachute cord in a desert area near a fence line. Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026 The three prisoners were dragged to the wall and made to kneel, their backs to the crowd, their heads fitted into the indentations. Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026 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 14 Mar. 2026.

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

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