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
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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
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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
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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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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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of knock
Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Investigators say Pihakis struck the victim in the back of the head with an open fist, knocking her to the floor.
—Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
His knock is a lack of production at Oklahoma — part of that is him, part is the Oklahoma offense — and blocking that was questionable, to say the least.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
Facing an awkward bunker shot from 35 yards to a back pin where a miss long is death, Matt proceeded to knock it to 14 inches.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Investigators say Pihakis struck the victim in the back of the head with an open fist, knocking her to the floor.
—Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
On the top terrace lies the biggest pool in Florence at 35 meters; knock-out views take in the city center, Brunelleschi’s cupola included, to the south and that oh-so-familiar timeless Tuscan countryside to the north.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
His knock is a lack of production at Oklahoma — part of that is him, part is the Oklahoma offense — and blocking that was questionable, to say the least.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 22 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
Seeing a knockabout comedy set outdoors is a whole different barrel of laughs.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
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
-
Murphy then appeared on stage to a rollicking standing ovation and made his way to his place at the dais toward the back of the room.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Keep track of your tone while Mercury squares off with boisterous Jupiter.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Ducks came out flying, more than matching the enthusiasm of the boisterous crowd.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This lively street—lined with elegant colonial homes and cozy cafes and restaurants—culminates at the iconic Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, known for its nightly video-mapping shows projected in Spanish and in English.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
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The suit included some versions of Indiana’s trademark work, LOVE, which depicts the word love in lively serif characters, the LO situated atop the VE, with the O placed at an angle.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The raucous entertainer, who made a name for himself 50 years ago in sketch comedy, has gone on to win several awards for his roles in SCTV episodes and Only Murders in the Building.—
Madeleine Janz,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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For those who’ve preferred their raucous energy onstage, the New York rockers stopped by Blue Room, the concert venue inside Jack White’s Third Man Records, to record their own Live at Third Man Records LP in 2024.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new league was started by William Hulbert, owner of the Chicago team, after the National Association collapsed because of issues ranging from corruption to rowdy, drunken ballplayers to gambling factions that damaged the integrity of the game.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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The pair were in Tuscaloosa over the weekend to play in front of a rowdy and packed house at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and that included giving fans a look at some new music.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 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
-
Flyers fans stomped on the animal and nearly destroyed it before security scurried the souvenir away from the rambunctious crowd.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
In contrast to the Sussex children’s rambunctious backyard egg hunt, the children of Prince William and Princess Catherine spent part of their Easter having to parade to church in front of dozens of cameras, looking buttoned-up in formal suits and coats.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 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 2 May. 2026.
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