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
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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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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
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Recent Examples of knock
Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
In the letter to Demacopoulos, the family said Gutiérrez told a friend that her boyfriend punched her and knocked one out.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Telehealth companies were first able to sell knock-off weight-loss drugs during a supply shortage a few years ago.
—Jessica Nix, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
The former is a ring on the bottom of the rock that skids across the ice, and the latter is a band around the sides of the rock that collides with other rocks (ideally knocking an opponent’s rock off the bull’s-eye or nudging your team’s closer to it).
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
In the letter to Demacopoulos, the family said Gutiérrez told a friend that her boyfriend punched her and knocked one out.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
Unraveling the Cons Gary and Dale Snider were in the living room when the knock came.
—Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Telehealth companies were first able to sell knock-off weight-loss drugs during a supply shortage a few years ago.
—Jessica Nix, Fortune, 7 Feb. 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
-
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
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Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up.—
Gail Mitchell,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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As Catherine, Anna Calder-Marshall is wonderfully earthy and boisterous.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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Chris Jackson / Getty Images And he will also have been given guidance on his fellow prince, who unlike William is not part of a constitutional monarchy answerable to lawmakers and open to criticism from an often boisterous free press.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Foot traffic at restaurants, shops and mosques sharply declined, turning once-lively economic and social hubs into ghost towns, and threatening to cripple the livelihood of an entire community.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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The lively City Hall gala was Boston’s third official celebration since the city formally recognized the day as a holiday in 2023, and attendees marked the occasion with a range of artistic showcases and performances.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The seven-time All-Star made his first seven shots with five 3-pointers amid raucous cheers from the extra-steep supporters’ section called The Wall behind one basket at this futuristic 18-month-old arena.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
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The seven-time All-Star made his first seven shots with five 3-pointers amid raucous cheers from the extra-steep supporters' section called The Wall behind one basket at this futuristic 18-month-old arena.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In Kotliarevskyi’s satirical adaptation, the Trojan hero becomes a Cossack, rowdy and earthy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
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The Peacock Lounge is part elegant speakeasy, part subterranean lair, hidden away from the rowdier crowds making bar runs in Savannah on a Saturday night.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
Bagatelle is the slightly more rambunctious option.—
Rebekah Evans,
TheWeek,
5 Feb. 2026
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Looking for a more romantic, less rambunctious dinner?—
Molly Barstein,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
30 Mar. 2023
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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 22 Feb. 2026.
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