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
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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
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2025
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 5 June 2025
Connor Wong led off with a single and Campbell and Duran followed with back-to-back doubles, the latter an RBI knock.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
Father’s Day memories, and more Stonington’s Josh Mooney sharpens all the skills of a decathlete for UConn; Opportunity knocks for Aaron Civale; a Father’s Day memory, and more.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2025
Noun
The Twins scored their first run of the day Matt Wallner’s third home run of the season and two more in the seventh on RBI knocks from Ty France and Brooks Lee.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 5 June 2025
Connor Wong led off with a single and Campbell and Duran followed with back-to-back doubles, the latter an RBI knock.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Verb
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After sinking the walk-off putt, Bradley chest bumped his caddie as his sons came out to celebrate on the course.—
Kendall Capps,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 June 2025
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However, it was bumped down to 11th place as investment in parks ranked Denver 10th this year.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
Verb
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The 45-year-old was acquitted of charges stemming from her being accused of leaving her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, in the snow after hitting him with her car outside a party, and of leaving the scene of an accident, causing death.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
18 June 2025
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On Becoming a Guinea Fowl will hit streaming on Friday, July 4, making its linear debut on HBO on Monday, July 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 June 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit alleges the Tesla’s design was to blame for the car swerving out of its lane and not braking correctly, according to Reuters.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
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Partly to blame is high inflation, claimed Bankrate, which has increased by about 24% since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
In another blow to China’s push to become a regional leader, India on Thursday rejected signing a joint statement facilitated by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—one such grouping set up by China and Russia to counter U.S. influence.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
27 June 2025
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The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to the chamber’s procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow as Republicans rush to finish the package this week.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Drake is getting candid about his recent gambling misfortunes.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
19 June 2025
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However, the newlywed hopes that even if his money is never returned, his misfortune can serve as a warning for others.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The ruling is a major setback for Republican leadership, who are under pressure to expeditiously move it to the Senate floor to meet Trump's Fourth of July deadline for passage.—
Allison Pecorin,
ABC News,
26 June 2025
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For now, however, even with setbacks in his bullpen sessions, the Guardians do expect Bieber to pitch this season.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Usually, the kids ended up banging their heads on the surface, earning a headache rather than a shopping spree.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
14 June 2025
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Mookie Betts spent the first two months of the season banging his head against a wall, trying to figure out what was wrong with his swing.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
12 June 2025
Verb
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These nimble vehicles are built to precise specs, and capturing racing footage from the driver's point of view isn't as simple as slapping a GoPro on and calling it a day.—
Julian Chokkattu,
Wired News,
16 June 2025
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The experience was shared on Reddit, where the passenger detailed how the person seated behind him, in first class nonetheless, repeatedly tapped and slapped the person's head and hat to awaken him to help retrieve a lost earbud.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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