1
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something
my knee knocked against the table leg when I tried to get up quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
threatened to knock him upside the head if he didn't do as he was told
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to blame
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
hey, don't knock it until you've tried it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the door a good knock
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
getting his college degree was a six year adventure not without its share of knocks along the way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in setback
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the geneticist's reputation took a knock when several of his peers were unable to confirm his research findings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knock
FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025
His winning streak of eight fights overall ended in July 2024 when Charles Johnson knocked him out.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Elaine Quijano, CBS News, 25 May 2025
That’s no knock on the singing or dancing of the girls, and as a former idol herself, Kyoko Saito as Mai brings in a few performance details that are palpably drawn from a place of personal resonance.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons… MEDIA
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE – Charlamagne knocks KJP's book, says 'nobody wants to hear' from person who 'lied' for Biden administration.
—FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025
His winning streak of eight fights overall ended in July 2024 when Charles Johnson knocked him out.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noun
There are mothers and fathers, there are children that get these knocks.
—Elaine Quijano, CBS News, 25 May 2025
That’s no knock on the singing or dancing of the girls, and as a former idol herself, Kyoko Saito as Mai brings in a few performance details that are palpably drawn from a place of personal resonance.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Verb
-
Since bumping Robinson into the first unit and bringing Josh Hart off the bench, New York is 2-1, with a chance to tie the series at three apiece and force a decisive Game 7 back at The Garden on Monday.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
-
Most passengers receive compensation equal to double the one-way price of the flight they were bumped from and a seat on the next available flight.—
Christopher Elliott The Travel Troubleshooter,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
Lightning hits the United States approximately 25 million times annually.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025
-
At the end of February, a pedestrian was hit in West London by an ebike rider in West London — not a rental or sharing scheme, to be clear — and died after a month in hospital.—
Nicole Kobie,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, an accusation rejected by Islamabad.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
-
Such a strategy seeks to blame the EU for ‘forcing’ its member states to shoulder the burden of caring for refugees, at the expense of their own citizens.—
Frey Lindsay,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
If approved, the cuts would served a devastating blow to the U.N., which is already struggling as other governments also cut contributions.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
-
Her relationship may have been seen as the ideal outcome of inner work, so its collapse may have felt disappointing, like a blow to their healing process.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Escobar had the misfortune of stepping into the shadow of the past season with skeletons in her closet.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
-
Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune.—
Steve Megargee,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
Noun
-
Zelensky said the setbacks for the Kremlin would help force it to the negotiating table, even as its pursues a summer offensive on the battlefield.—
Mehmet Guzel,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
The alarming decline in Black student enrollment these last two years coupled with the dismantling of support programs, open a veil to what’s ahead: a devastating setback in economic mobility and progress for Black communities.—
Leadership Brainery,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
There's no point in banging your head against the wall.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Even after being handcuffed, the passenger continued to behave aggressively, repeatedly banging her head against the bus window.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
The European Union has been working to strike a trade agreement with the US, conscious in particular of Trump’s recent threat to slap a 50% tariff on goods arriving from the bloc.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
-
Price hikes happened quickly after Trump slapped steep levies on trading partners, whether large or small.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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