knifepoint

noun

knife·​point ˈnīf-ˌpȯint How to pronounce knifepoint (audio)
: the point of a knife

see also at knifepoint

Examples of knifepoint in a Sentence

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.
Smart was 14 when street preacher Brian David Mitchell, then 48, crept into her bedroom in the middle of the night on June 5, 2002, and abducted her at knifepoint. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026 Investigators released security camera videos showing a man robbing an Upland ice cream shop cashier at knifepoint the day after Christmas. Zach Boetto, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026 Two people are in Sacramento County custody connected to a knifepoint robbery at a car show in October, said Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025 Many of the attacks were committed at knifepoint, and Quarles sometimes forced the women’s husbands or boyfriends to watch. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for knifepoint

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of knifepoint was in 1585

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knifepoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knifepoint. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

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!