knock·out
ˈnäk-ˌau̇t 
1
a
: the act of knocking out : the condition of being knocked out
b(1)
: the termination of a boxing match when one boxer has been knocked down and is unable to rise and resume boxing within a specified time
(2)
c
: a blow that knocks out an opponent
2
: a sensationally striking, appealing, or attractive person or thing
1
: causing a knockout
a knockout blow
2
: sensationally striking, appealing, or attractive
a knockout dress
3
: having all or part of a gene eliminated or inactivated by genetic engineering
knockout mice predisposed to diabetes mellitus
knocked out; knocking out; knocks out
1
: to produce roughly or hastily
2
a(1)
: to defeat (a boxing opponent) by a knockout
(2)
: to make unconscious
the drug knocked him out
b
: to make inoperative or useless
electricity was knocked out by the storm
c
: to get rid of : eliminate
knocked out illegal gambling
3
: to tire out : exhaust
knocked themselves out with work
4
: to cause (an opposing pitcher) to be removed from a baseball game by a batting rally
Synonyms
Noun
- babe [slang]
- beauty
- beauty queen
- cookie
- cooky
- cutie
- cutey
- dolly bird [British]
- enchantress
- eyeful
- fox
- goddess
- honey
- queen
- stunner
Adjective
- aesthetic
- esthetic
- aesthetical
- esthetical
- attractive
- beauteous
- beautiful
- bonny [chiefly British]
- bonnie
- comely
- cute
- drop-dead
- fair
- fetching
- good
- good-looking
- goodly
- gorgeous
- handsome
- likely
- lovely
- lovesome
- pretty
- ravishing
- seemly
- sightly
- stunning
- taking
- well-favored
Verb
Examples of knockout in a Sentence
Noun
He won the match by a knockout.
He scored a knockout in the fourth round.
She's a real knockout in that dress.
Adjective
The Wimbledon tennis tournament is a knockout competition.
a knockout sports car that's the talk of the neighborhood
Verb
the entire staff knocked itself out getting the project finished on time
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Recent Examples on the Web
Tim Chan, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023
Jamaica made history with a first-ever World Cup win, after defeating Panama 1-0, before advancing in the competition as the first-ever Caribbean team to reach the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup — men or women’s teams.
—Shaznay Martin, refinery29.com, 1 Sep. 2023
The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, while the third-place teams enter the Europa League – UEFA's second-tier competition – as one of the final 32 teams.
—Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023
The knockout rounds will consist of single-elimination games in the quarterfinals (Dec. 4-5), semifinals (Dec. 7), and championship (Dec. 9).
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 16 Aug. 2023
When an overly competitive and unpredictable group stage scrambled fans’ travel plans for the knockout rounds, for example, Air New Zealand waived all change fees and booked passengers on to the correct destination.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Zhang owns a 26-3 career mark and can find a path to victory in a multitude of ways, evidenced by her 11 knockouts and eight submissions.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2023
The tournament will continue with the top-eight teams in December (the winners of each group plus the best two teams who did not win a group), with the quarterfinals of the knockout round taking place Dec. 4 and 5.
—Detroit Free Press, 17 Aug. 2023
Rodarte kicked off fashion month with a knockout show in which models floated by like members of a vampiric coven, all black velvet and lace.
—Jake Smith, Glamour, 17 Aug. 2023
Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 3 Feb. 2023
Addison Rae added to the ever-growing list of knockout vintage Y2K, donning a wrap skirt from Roberto Cavalli’s spring 2000 collection.
—André-Naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2023
Every previous fight was decided by knockout, technical knockout or unanimous decision.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2023
Marchand’s goal on the advantage, the knockout punch for the Fish Sticks, came at 5:03 of the third.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Jan. 2023
Ferreira ended up starting the knockout round match against the Netherlands, an eventual 3-1 defeat for the U.S., but his effect on the game was minimal and he was subbed off to start the second half.
—Dallas News, 2 Jan. 2023
Then came the knockout punch, delivered by Samuel, who took a short pass 74 yards to the house for a 38-17 lead that placed the game in the blowout category.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2023
Whereas some of these stronger medicines are like a knockout punch, think of CBD as a lullaby that soothes you into sleep and doesn’t just knock you out.
—Dallas News, 21 Oct. 2022
However, defeats to Portugal (3-2) and Uruguay (2-0) meant Ghana failed to progress to the knockout stage.
—Robert Kidd, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022
Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
In 2021, residents faced a blackout when a snowstorm knocked out coal and gas facilities, nuclear plants, and wind turbines.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2023
Wildfires knocked out power to an entire California county.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
The storm knocked out power to tens of thousands and lashed the coasts of the northeast US and Atlantic Canada with wind and waves.
—Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 17 Sep. 2023
And the weakened, downgraded Hurricane Lee — which knocked out power for thousands, kicked up tropical-force winds, and dumped inches of rain in some areas Saturday — was no Bob.
—John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
Lee also isn’t anywhere near as severe as the remnants of Hurricane Fiona, which a year ago washed houses into the ocean, knocked out power to most of two provinces and swept a woman into the sea, said Canadian meteorologist Jill Maepea.
—Robert F. Bukaty and David Sharp, Chicago Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
The storm known as Lee, still a dangerous post-tropical cyclone, made landfall in Canada Saturday, packing powerful winds in Nova Scotia and in coastal Maine that toppled trees, killing at least one person and knocking out power to tens of thousands of people.
—Meagan Campbell, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2023
In Canada, residents were warned about the risk of power outages and flooding a year after the remnants of Hurricane Fiona washed houses into the ocean, knocked out power to most of two provinces and swept a woman into the sea.
—David Sharp and Patrick Whittle, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Sep. 2023
See More
Noun
Teams are divided into four pools and will play each other in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stage.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023
Jamaica made history with a first-ever World Cup win, after defeating Panama 1-0, before advancing in the competition as the first-ever Caribbean team to reach the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup — men or women’s teams.
—Shaznay Martin, refinery29.com, 1 Sep. 2023
The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, while the third-place teams enter the Europa League – UEFA's second-tier competition – as one of the final 32 teams.
—Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023
The knockout rounds will consist of single-elimination games in the quarterfinals (Dec. 4-5), semifinals (Dec. 7), and championship (Dec. 9).
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 16 Aug. 2023
When an overly competitive and unpredictable group stage scrambled fans’ travel plans for the knockout rounds, for example, Air New Zealand waived all change fees and booked passengers on to the correct destination.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Zhang owns a 26-3 career mark and can find a path to victory in a multitude of ways, evidenced by her 11 knockouts and eight submissions.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2023
The tournament will continue with the top-eight teams in December (the winners of each group plus the best two teams who did not win a group), with the quarterfinals of the knockout round taking place Dec. 4 and 5.
—Detroit Free Press, 17 Aug. 2023
Rodarte kicked off fashion month with a knockout show in which models floated by like members of a vampiric coven, all black velvet and lace.
—Jake Smith, Glamour, 17 Aug. 2023
Adjective
The knockout blow to the fighter, as Findeisen gleefully pointed out, was the name of the fake NFT project, SourzNFT Candies are Moundbound.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 3 Feb. 2023
Addison Rae added to the ever-growing list of knockout vintage Y2K, donning a wrap skirt from Roberto Cavalli’s spring 2000 collection.
—André-Naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2023
Every previous fight was decided by knockout, technical knockout or unanimous decision.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2023
Marchand’s goal on the advantage, the knockout punch for the Fish Sticks, came at 5:03 of the third.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Jan. 2023
Ferreira ended up starting the knockout round match against the Netherlands, an eventual 3-1 defeat for the U.S., but his effect on the game was minimal and he was subbed off to start the second half.
—Dallas News, 2 Jan. 2023
Then came the knockout punch, delivered by Samuel, who took a short pass 74 yards to the house for a 38-17 lead that placed the game in the blowout category.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2023
Whereas some of these stronger medicines are like a knockout punch, think of CBD as a lullaby that soothes you into sleep and doesn’t just knock you out.
—Dallas News, 21 Oct. 2022
However, defeats to Portugal (3-2) and Uruguay (2-0) meant Ghana failed to progress to the knockout stage.
—Robert Kidd, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022
Verb
These major wildfires have raged for weeks, knocking out power, killing at least one person and damaging multiple structures.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
In 2021, residents faced a blackout when a snowstorm knocked out coal and gas facilities, nuclear plants, and wind turbines.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2023
Wildfires knocked out power to an entire California county.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
The storm knocked out power to tens of thousands and lashed the coasts of the northeast US and Atlantic Canada with wind and waves.
—Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 17 Sep. 2023
And the weakened, downgraded Hurricane Lee — which knocked out power for thousands, kicked up tropical-force winds, and dumped inches of rain in some areas Saturday — was no Bob.
—John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
Lee also isn’t anywhere near as severe as the remnants of Hurricane Fiona, which a year ago washed houses into the ocean, knocked out power to most of two provinces and swept a woman into the sea, said Canadian meteorologist Jill Maepea.
—Robert F. Bukaty and David Sharp, Chicago Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
The storm known as Lee, still a dangerous post-tropical cyclone, made landfall in Canada Saturday, packing powerful winds in Nova Scotia and in coastal Maine that toppled trees, killing at least one person and knocking out power to tens of thousands of people.
—Meagan Campbell, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2023
In Canada, residents were warned about the risk of power outages and flooding a year after the remnants of Hurricane Fiona washed houses into the ocean, knocked out power to most of two provinces and swept a woman into the sea.
—David Sharp and Patrick Whittle, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knockout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing knockout
Dictionary Entries Near knockout
Cite this Entry
“Knockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knockout. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
knockout
1 of 2 noun
knock·out
ˈnäk-ˌau̇t
1
: the act of knocking out : the condition of being knocked out
2
: something or someone very striking or attractive
knockout
adjective
knock out
2 of 2 verbˈnäk-ˈau̇t,
näk-ˈau̇t
: to make unconscious
Medical Definition
knockout
adjective
knock·out
ˈnäk-ˌau̇t
: having all or part of a gene eliminated or inactivated by genetic engineering
knockout mice predisposed to diabetes mellitus serve as animal models in the study of human diabetes
More from Merriam-Webster on knockout
Nglish: Translation of knockout for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of knockout for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about knockout
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