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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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 gypsy
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
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
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
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
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
See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Adjective
-
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
-
His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.—
Sonal Dutt,
Peoplemag,
23 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
The other Jaylin Williams will be in a boisterous section with Lu Dort and the other younger Thunder players but also often parrying back and forth with his namesake and Gilgeous-Alexander.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
-
Fortunately, the board rejected the proposal at a boisterous public meeting this month.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
For much of the day New Haven Green was filled with a Juneteenth Village and Marketplace, including loud and lively hip-hop acts.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 June 2025
-
The small but lively crowd of 14,312 at the Rose Bowl gasped in disbelief as Deossa and his teammates celebrated what instantly became a contender for the goal of the tournament — only to be possibly upstaged by his fellow midfielder Corona nine minutes later.—
Austin Green,
New York Times,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Morocco’s Wydad gave their raucous fans a first goal of the tournament to celebrate when Thembinkosi Lorch pulled one back, which led to a flare being thrown onto the pitch and smoke engulfing much of the playing area.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
-
On June 2, before a raucous audience of roughly 100 friends, family, and alums, the students graduated as actual drag performers.—
David Mack,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
Fittingly, a green laser shined out into the crowd as attendees turned from polite listeners to a rowdy mosh pit, singing every word.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
27 June 2025
-
Johnson is not the only country star who has stopped mid-concert to address a rowdy crowd.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
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 Oilers could sign Patrick Kane as a free agent, but may eschew that kind of move in favour of a more rambunctious winger.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
His presence is noted even when being quiet, like the rambunctious ram who is always ready to pounce on enemies, due to his 7-inch stature and ability to pose in different ways due to his joint structure.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
30 Mar. 2023
-
The Square has spooky carnival-style games.—
Annie Alleman,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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