as in to ring
to make the clear sound heard when metal vibrates
the church bells knelled to mark the death of the nation's beloved leader
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in indicator
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knell
Laura Kelly, The Hill, 28 Aug. 2025
In a way, this sounded the death knell for ironing.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
The cuts could also be a potential death knell for local PBS and NPR stations across the country, who rely heavily on government funds to keep the lights on and the public in the know.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 19 July 2025
This week, Riley Green offers up a smoldering heartbreaker of a song, while Dolly Parton reunites with bluegrass group The Grascals on an uplifting new track, and HARDY and ERNEST team up for a new song sounding a death knell for bro country.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for knell
Verb
The United Kingdom, France and Germany took the first step on Thursday in snapping back severe sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, signaling the death knell for the Obama-era nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 28 Aug. 2025
In a way, this sounded the death knell for ironing.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
The cuts could also be a potential death knell for local PBS and NPR stations across the country, who rely heavily on government funds to keep the lights on and the public in the know.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 19 July 2025
This week, Riley Green offers up a smoldering heartbreaker of a song, while Dolly Parton reunites with bluegrass group The Grascals on an uplifting new track, and HARDY and ERNEST team up for a new song sounding a death knell for bro country.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for knell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knell
Verb
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Instead, Minnesota’s errors rang through her mind.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Several suspects have been identified after shots rang out Sunday at a Houston-area youth baseball game, causing chaos as players and coaches ran for cover.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Amid grills cooking savory barbecue, bubbles blowing from an ice cream truck, face painting and peals of laughter from kids in a nearby bouncy house, Justine Mosely Stephens was struggling not to tear up.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
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Amal wore a strapless white Tamara Ralph Haute Couture gown which was draped in peals from top to bottom, with some wrapped around her arms below the shoulder.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Some waffle irons will indicate when the waffle is ready, but if your waffle iron doesn’t have an indicator, check for doneness when the steam subsides.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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Emptying the dust cup was simple thanks to clear arrow indicators, although detaching it from the wand first added a small inconvenience.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One tolled for the lives lost when the towers collapsed.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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In Gozo, residents peacefully sweep their doorsteps while church bells toll distantly in the background.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The spate of ding-dong-ditch killings has led some authorities to urge kids and teens not to do the prank at all.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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In 2020, three 16-year-olds were killed when a man rammed his car into their vehicle in retaliation for pulling a ding-dong-ditch prank on him.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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So much of gay life is about finding people like you in public who are hidden in plain sight, following the subtlest of signals.—
James Factora,
Them.,
24 Sep. 2025
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The winds have prompted Hong Kong and Macao – together home to more than 8 million people – to issue their highest hurricane warning signal, with schools, businesses and public transit largely closed, including the city’s airport, one of Asia’s busiest.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This chimed with Ling, who had come from a world of theater.—
Jay Glennie,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
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After a few seconds, the base chimed and the app confirmed a successful pairing.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Shivaree, chthonian, erumpent, tintinnabulation, exonumia, requiescat, deipnosophist, omphaloskepsis, horripilation, deliquesce, apopemptic.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2021
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Two dozen billiard balls roll on tracks, striking a series of devices that set off a tintinnabulation of bells, chimes and metallic clinks.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
1 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Knell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knell. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
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