as in to sip
to swallow in liquid form
desperately thirsty, she knocked back an entire glass of water without pausing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock back
Verb
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Veteran coach Michael Boehle, sipping coffee, understands the routine is only temporary and does his best to get his players focused on their early-morning routine.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026 -
While generally safe to consume, people with allergies to similar plants, such as daisies, and those taking certain medications, such as antidiabetes medications, should exercise caution before sipping dandelion tea.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The hanging quickly devolves into an all-out bacchanal, as onlookers drink, dance and kiss in the square surrounding the flailing corpse.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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The appeal was lost on holdovers accustomed to drivers rough around the edges, with a Southern drawl, drinking a beer in Victory Lane.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yes, gulping the liquid the night before was an ordeal — try drinking three liters of anything in three hours, going to sleep, then waking up six hours later for one final liter.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Protostars are messy and dynamic, gulping down material in spurts and fits and ejecting powerful outflows of wind and jets that punch into the surrounding clouds.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Knock back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20back. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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