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
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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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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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of knock
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Once the buzz starts, fringe brands come knocking.
—Chris Cardillo, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
With Mason Mount ruled out after suffering a knock there was a tweak to the front three, with Benjamin Sesko returning to the centre-forward role alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, the No 10s.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Once the buzz starts, fringe brands come knocking.
—Chris Cardillo, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
That’s not a knock at all, star rating aside; the show is just settling into a more consistent groove, and for me, that means this episode lacks a little of the surprise of the previous weeks.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
With Mason Mount ruled out after suffering a knock there was a tweak to the front three, with Benjamin Sesko returning to the centre-forward role alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, the No 10s.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
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
-
Despite the offensive skid in their final two home games of the year, Dodgers catcher Will Smith believes in his team's ability to pull out two wins in what should be a boisterous crowd at the Rogers Centre for Game 6 (and 7 if necessary).—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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While at the first school my penchant for being boisterous and chatty was seen as charming, the girls at school two just viewed me as a restless chatterbox.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
My appetite for more Lee is low, but Harjo’s Tulsa — cynical and lively at the same time — simmers with more to say.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Lomax not only wrote the song but also stars in the commercial, which portrays him enjoying the Biggie Bag combo meal, a scene that turns into a lively celebration of music and food.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Sports radio can be loud and raucous, blaring with bluster and bellowing.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Aztecs make their second trip to Phoenix in a month, this time to face controversial new conference member GCU in one of the nation’s most raucous home-court atmospheres.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Think of it as pimento cheese’s rowdy cousin, creamy with cream cheese and sharp Cheddar, smoky from plenty of bacon, and punched up with tangy pickled jalapeños.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
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Beşiktaş and Nişantaşı Down by the water on the European Bosphorus shore, just a short walk from Dolmabahçe Palace, Beşiktaş is a rowdy neighborhood famed for its passionate support of the local football team and plethora of pubs.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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
-
The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
5 May 2022
Adjective
-
The rallies feature rambunctious energy.—
Ben Adler,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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From there, Olympian water polo player Ashleigh Johnson assumes the roles of beloved figures such as Prince, Tommie Smith, Serena Williams, and Amanda Gorman as Public Enemy’s members trade bars over a rambunctious guitar loop.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
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 12 Nov. 2025.
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