knives

noun

plural of knife
as in cutters
an instrument with a metal length that has a sharp edge for cutting be careful in using the knife to split open the cardboard box

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of knives Oakland police released footage Wednesday of a deadly police shooting in mid-July, when two of its officers opened fire on a man who was wielding knives affixed to long metal poles in the city’s Fruitvale District. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 Critics have had their knives out for Netflix‘s politically incorrect dark comedy, which debuted over the weekend. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 He is accused of extorting minors to write names on their naked skin, cut themselves and stick objects such as knives into their genitals. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. — Martha Stewart, 3 Aug. 2026 Her promise expresses, in some way, her kinship with her unmarried aunt, who didn’t trade her own freedom for a set of good knives. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 Police found three knives in the home covered in blood, per the outlet. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), officers responded to a report of a man who left a home in Annandale following an argument while allegedly armed with two knives. — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026 Bumbershoot prohibits a number of items on festival grounds, including firearms, knives, drugs, and drones, among other items. — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knives
  1. cutters
  2. blades
  3. daggers
  4. swords
Noun
  • Cord cutters can check out DirecTV, Fox One, Fubo, Hulu, Peacock, Sling, and YouTube TV for these games.
    — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The 14-story neo-Gothic structure (nicknamed the Jewelers Building) once housed five floors alone of diamond cutters, goldsmiths, and other jewelers, with the rest of the building dedicated to other places for wealthy Detroiters to splurge.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
Definition of cutters
Noun
  • In a typical system, steam produced by heating water drives turbine blades, which turn a generator to produce electricity.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • When channels are created with unsuitable blades, angles, or placement, transplanted hair may grow in an unnatural direction or produce an overly uniform appearance.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of blades
Noun
  • Weary of seeing people pick their teeth with daggers, Cardinal Richelieu has knives blunted in royal France.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • In his first international meeting with England, Messi had a pair of assists on two late-match daggers that pierced through the hearts of Three Lions’ players and supporters.
    — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of daggers
Noun
  • No dragons, of course, but plenty of political conniving, clashing swords and last-minute escapes.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In Westeros, everyone always fights about the Iron Throne—a chair like an iron cowlick, constructed with actual swords seized from vanquished enemies, jutting every which way.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of swords

Browse Nearby Words

knittings
knives
knob
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knives. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on knives

Nglish: Translation of knives for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All