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

Thibodeaux then came over knocked over Jackson remained on the field but was replaced by Caedan Wallace on the next set of team drills. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026

Video from the scene showed one car flipped on its side with debris scattered across the sidewalk and a trash can knocked over. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

It is easily knocked over but practical for indoor use when a flat ground base is too big and a steel pike would damage the floors. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

The Bedford County Fire Marshal's Office determined the fire was accidental and said Nanner escaped her enclosure and knocked over a heat fixture, sparking the blaze. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 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