knock over

verb

knocked over; knocking over; knocks over

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to strike to the ground : fell

(2)

: overwhelm

was knocked over by the news

b

: eliminate

knocked over every difficulty

2

a

: steal

especially : hijack

… knocks over a truckload of merchandise …

—J. B. Martin

b

: rob

knocking over a bank

Synonyms of knock over

• rob
• steal (from)

Examples of knock over in a Sentence

he knocked over six convenience stores before getting caught

knocked me over trying to get out the door

Recent Examples on the Web

In Uvalde, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio, floodwaters rushed through Miguel Vasquez’s home twice this week, leaving a layer of mud and knocking over his refrigerator and other items. — Jesse Bedayn, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Amazon has the Hisense 50-inch E7 on sale for a wild 43% off right now, knocking over $300 off the $699 list price and bringing it to its all-time low. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 15 July 2026

Pets and other animals accidentally start hundreds of home fires each year, often by knocking over candles, tipping space heaters or bumping stove knobs. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Burke piles fascinating shuffling sounds on top, invoking a quiet scuffle, maybe some cardboard boxes being knocked over in a storage space. — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Rhymes for knock over

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover