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
Relevance
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
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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
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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
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
we knocked about from town to town, looking for work
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as in rollicking
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way
a knockabout game of football in the mud
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nomad
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
the book is one writer's journey of self-discovery as a restless knockabout
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of knock
Austin Turner, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Logan Augustyniak hit a game-tying, two-run triple before Colin Durkin knocked the game-winning RBI single Tewksbury (1-0) used to defeat reigning Div.
—Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Rizvi was the aggressor of the two, hitting four sixes and five boundaries while Stubbs’ 32-ball knock featured three fours and a six.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
Firefighters managed to knock the fire down within 14 minutes.
—Austin Turner, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Logan Augustyniak hit a game-tying, two-run triple before Colin Durkin knocked the game-winning RBI single Tewksbury (1-0) used to defeat reigning Div.
—Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
One scenario nobody anticipates is a knock on the door from a Florida Department of Children and Families adult protection investigator.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Rizvi was the aggressor of the two, hitting four sixes and five boundaries while Stubbs’ 32-ball knock featured three fours and a six.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Though thematically vague, thinly plotted and without a reliably sympathetic soul to cling to, the movie has a mutinous energy and an absurd, knockabout charm; even its violence is more quirky than brutal.
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Noun
This new film is a very black comedy that is also a heist story with some bloody violence, along with a bit of knockabout slapstick and a theme of family bonds.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Adjective
-
Those self-aware lyrics are paired with breezy melody and a gently rollicking rhythm, making this feel like a freewheeling summertime favorite.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
24 Mar. 2026
-
His lightning guitar work — alongside a mandolinist, fiddler, upright-bassist and banjo player who are not too shabby on their respective strings themselves — delivered a rollicking half-hour that gave the fans in the bleachers plenty to dance to.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Assad’s 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays earned an ovation from the boisterous Cubs fans who filled the ballpark.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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This affords it plenty of privacy despite the windows on all sides, with the only immediate neighbors being a boisterous bunch of alpacas, goats, chicken, and cows.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Family discussions will be lively.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
By night, Ora’s lemon-yellow booths and terrazzo-crazy paving become a lively setting for Greco-Italian chef Ettore Botrini’s accessible but accomplished menu.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The raucous clip was co-directed by Carpenter and Margaret Qualley, and also co-stars Madelyn Cline.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The show stars Levy and Ortega as Nicky and Morgan, the older children of Laurie Metcalf's Linda, a raucous New Jersey mother running for mayor.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everything seems possible after a nervy 136-134 overtime victory over San Antonio at rowdy Ball Arena.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Someone had stashed a film camera in an apartment high above the plaza, capturing a scene of rowdy onlookers feasting on sausage sandwiches and uncorking bottles of wine as—after a series of delays—the blade dropped on Weidmann’s nape.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the crowd at that rumbustious Democratic Convention in 1896 was a journeyman journalist, L. Frank Baum, who had a number of careers behind him by that time.—
David McWilliams,
Fortune,
16 Nov. 2025
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Around this time, the outfit’s quirky, lightly rumbustious songs began to resonate across British press and radio; accessible while containing a marked dose of strangeness, Fontaine’s songwriting – at once emotionally raw and witty – boasted a strong multi-generational appeal.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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If your pet is rambunctious, consider putting them up and waiting to introduce them when the situation is calm, especially if older folks will be showing up.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
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June is highlighted by a stop on the 30th Anniversary tour of the indelible Thievery Corporation (June 7), rambunctious rock/jam troupe Dogs in a Pile (June 5) and the warm-hug indie folk rock embrace of Blind Pilot and John Craigie (June 20).—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
30 Mar. 2023
-
Transform your salad spinner into a carnival-style spin art machine.—
Lauren Piro,
Good Housekeeping,
31 Oct. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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