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Recent Examples of knap
If confirmed, our human ancestors started shaping bones by striking them at specific angles in a process known as knapping as much as 1.5 million years ago.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2025
Rocks could be knapped, or shaped, into knife blades, spear points, ax heads, and more, allowing hunter-gatherers to take on new prey and use animal remains for clothing and other things.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
The course was jointly led by Ojibwe elders, who taught him how to knap flint, tan hides and build wigwams.
—Franz Lidz Meghan Dhaliwal, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2022
Our Paleolithic ancestors learned to knap delicate blades from round stone cobbles, hunt large game and cook their food.
—Herman Pontzer, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2022
Knowing how to make a friction fire, or how to whittle a paddle out of a log, or how to knap stone arrowheads all have their place in a survival situation (particularly fire making).
—Jim Baird, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2020
There was the first time someone knapped and hafted a rock onto a spear shaft, and the first time someone strung up a bow.
—Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2020
His hair was unruly and his large, blunt fingers were usually fishing for a cigarette, except when preoccupied with his favourite hobby: knapping prehistoric flint tools.
—1843, 20 Feb. 2020
Shaggy Briton woodsmen in the vast pre-Roman forests of Cumbria, gripping their sacred Langdale axes, with glimmering heads knapped from the rare volcanic greenstone mined from the Pike of Stickle.
—Jonny Diamond, Longreads, 8 June 2019
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2025
Rocks could be knapped, or shaped, into knife blades, spear points, ax heads, and more, allowing hunter-gatherers to take on new prey and use animal remains for clothing and other things.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
The course was jointly led by Ojibwe elders, who taught him how to knap flint, tan hides and build wigwams.
—Franz Lidz Meghan Dhaliwal, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2022
Our Paleolithic ancestors learned to knap delicate blades from round stone cobbles, hunt large game and cook their food.
—Herman Pontzer, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2022
Knowing how to make a friction fire, or how to whittle a paddle out of a log, or how to knap stone arrowheads all have their place in a survival situation (particularly fire making).
—Jim Baird, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2020
There was the first time someone knapped and hafted a rock onto a spear shaft, and the first time someone strung up a bow.
—Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2020
His hair was unruly and his large, blunt fingers were usually fishing for a cigarette, except when preoccupied with his favourite hobby: knapping prehistoric flint tools.
—1843, 20 Feb. 2020
Shaggy Briton woodsmen in the vast pre-Roman forests of Cumbria, gripping their sacred Langdale axes, with glimmering heads knapped from the rare volcanic greenstone mined from the Pike of Stickle.
—Jonny Diamond, Longreads, 8 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knap
Verb
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When strung together, the words fully operational mobile McDonald’s unit overwhelm my synapses; there could be no funnier or dumber phrase to chisel out of the English language.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2025
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Meanwhile, an additional 25% tariff is expected on car parts in early May, a measure that would crunch the economics on EVs assembled in America, either chiseling down profit margins or inflating sticker prices – or both.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Riz Ahmed is carving out a niche in the action-thriller space.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
13 June 2025
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Following in her mom's footsteps, Jasmine has carved out her path in the world of dance, working as a choreographer, cheerleader and performer.—
Nasha Smith,
People.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
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And how can sculpture accomplish the experience of simultaneous collective reception that was formerly its greatest social promise?—
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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Bourdelle’s voluminous works in marble, bronze, and wood fill the lofty mezzanine, while his bronze sculptures Héraklès archer (Hercules the Archer) and Centaure mourant (Dying Centaur) highlight the garden.—
Kasia Dietz,
Travel + Leisure,
29 July 2024
Verb
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Milton was pardoned before a judge had a chance to approve that figure, but experts said judges typically hew closely to prosecutors' calculations.—
Lucien Bruggeman,
ABC News,
12 June 2025
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Their objections hew closely to the divisions that split House Republicans.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Verb
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How climate change is reshaping life on the Mighty Mississippi The Mississippi River sculpted the nation, but now the people who live along it are dealing the effects of climate change.—
Bluesky Social,
Bluesky Social,
9 June 2025
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These cups aren’t ordinary, mind you, but instead feature famous mountains sculpted into the base of each glass, resulting in some serious inspo with each sip.—
Drew Zieff,
Outside Online,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Perry’s 10th playoff goal this season cut the Panthers lead to 4-2.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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Other options include raising payroll taxes, cutting benefits for future recipients, or a combination of all three.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knap. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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