as in rings
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knells
Verb
-
The sentiment rings especially true for Northern Irish Christian Benjamin Dilworth, who embarked upon the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail in May 2023 after being diagnosed with a rare chronic liver disease earlier that year.—
Mariam Amini,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026 -
Kyle Mulholland, the bartender, rings the bar’s bell, and the lights flicker as everyone cheers again and goes to close out their tabs.—
Jeremy Rellosa,
Curbed,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
-
As the Imam intoned verses from the Quran, a series of reverberating chimes from users’ phones suddenly cut through the recitation.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Instead, experts encourage people to look for a combination of indicators.—
Ginger Allen,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
The list takes into account 13 indicators and weights measuring global research performance and reputation, ranking the world's 2,250 top universities.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The album’s official versions smooth out some of the buzzy sibilance of the bootlegs, but Hold Onto Me Infinity accommodates lots of tasteful clangs and wubs.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The brand continues to grow, opening a Lisbon hotel in 2022, and its popularity shows no signs of waning.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
Salah turned 34 today, with several fans bringing signs to the stadium in his honor.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The seeds are loose and clatter around inside the pods, giving baptisia the name rattleweed, as children once used the seedpods as rattles.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
-
With dresses and intimate wear for women; jewelry; personal care products; men’s wallets; baby swaddles, stuffies, rattles and teething toys; dog leashes, collars and toys; greeting cards and a wide range of home decor, the store is drawing people in.—
Sarah Kyrcz,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That generational drop-off signals a clear and urgent problem.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Persistent low energy, irritability, brain fog and apathy toward daily life are the clearest signals that a structured wellness experience could help.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Periodically a mandolin tinkles, or maybe a fiddle swoops in as if from a low-hanging cloud.—
Theater Critic,
San Francisco Chronicle,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Roberts doesn’t offer much empathy for the poor, diseased critter other than a pause when Ben momentarily ponders his reflection in a pool as Adrian Johnston’s eerie synth-piano score tinkles.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Knells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knells. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
