knock the stuffing out of

idiom

informal
: to cause (someone) to lose energy and confidence : to make (someone) feel weak or overwhelmed
When he found out that he didn't get the job, it really knocked the stuffing out of him.

Examples of knock the stuffing out of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Aoki, 30, said wheelchair rugby creates unique bonds among players, who knock the stuffing out of one another and then gather at the bar. Rachel Blount, Star Tribune, 20 June 2021 Because the streets are occupied by moving objects, including heavy ones that can knock the stuffing out of you. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 May 2021 The second goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of City as Untied began to dominate. Ben Church, CNN, 7 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knock the stuffing out of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Knock the stuffing out of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knock%20the%20stuffing%20out%20of. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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