variants
or knock-down-and-drag-out
as in fierce
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the football game was a knock-down, drag-out battle between bitter rivals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of knock-down, drag-out
What follows is a knock-down, drag-out brawl reminiscent of Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler.
—
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024
This was a knock-down, drag-out fight — the kind of match that would make for excellent watching when Marvel Snap tournaments are up and running.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 31 Jan. 2023
Last week’s knock-down, drag-out fight could just be the first of many this session as GOP lawmakers grapple with government spending, the debt ceiling and the situation at the border.
—Dallas News, 10 Jan. 2023
But both performers rode their SNL success to Hollywood superstardom, in turn validating the audience's appetite for inspired silliness and knock-down, drag-out belly-laughs.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2022
As much as the streaming wars can feel like a knock-down, drag-out fight, Amazon can spend time on the ropes because streaming isn’t its core business.
—Angela Watercutter, Wired, 18 Mar. 2022
But rather than a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish, this series is all about empowerment.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2022
However, leaping in expecting an argument to become a knock-down, drag-out fight isn't the best way to go about your life.
—Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, 9 Feb. 2022
Its climactic scenes are the same as any classically satisfying sports movie’s: athletes (in this case, young Venus) making decisions about themselves, their worth, their futures, and bringing those notions to bear in a knock-down, drag-out match.
—K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2021
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024
This was a knock-down, drag-out fight — the kind of match that would make for excellent watching when Marvel Snap tournaments are up and running.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 31 Jan. 2023
Last week’s knock-down, drag-out fight could just be the first of many this session as GOP lawmakers grapple with government spending, the debt ceiling and the situation at the border.
—Dallas News, 10 Jan. 2023
But both performers rode their SNL success to Hollywood superstardom, in turn validating the audience's appetite for inspired silliness and knock-down, drag-out belly-laughs.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2022
As much as the streaming wars can feel like a knock-down, drag-out fight, Amazon can spend time on the ropes because streaming isn’t its core business.
—Angela Watercutter, Wired, 18 Mar. 2022
But rather than a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish, this series is all about empowerment.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2022
However, leaping in expecting an argument to become a knock-down, drag-out fight isn't the best way to go about your life.
—Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, 9 Feb. 2022
Its climactic scenes are the same as any classically satisfying sports movie’s: athletes (in this case, young Venus) making decisions about themselves, their worth, their futures, and bringing those notions to bear in a knock-down, drag-out match.
—K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock-down, drag-out
Adjective
-
In the face of fierce opposition, Lyles supported bringing the Republican National Convention to Charlotte in 2020 — standing on her commitment to represent the entire city as mayor.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In Paradise Bay, competition is fierce to attract high-end clientele and the standout offering at Maxx Royal is its two-story, 5,750-square-meter spa.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The left is always, at all times and places, a violent phenomenon full of hatred.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, has written about hurricanes, tornadoes and violent weather for more than 30 years.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Just like that, Denver’s ferocious defensive front had turned a go-ahead scoring opportunity for the Titans into a punt.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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The conflict in Europe was mirrored by a ferocious debate between scientists and Spiritualists, each side fueled by the pain of their own private losses.—
Alice Vernon
September 8,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Never one to shy away from making a scene at the annual Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Bürstner came on mission this year, unleashing a furious innovation offensive that included novelties like a moving bathroom and a small semi-integrated motorhome dressed up like a camper van.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Sep. 2025
-
As if Destiny 2 needed any more disasters right now, a new one has surfaced that has players furious.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Daily excursions—led by expert naturalists—span snorkeling with sea lions, kayaking along lava cliffs, paddleboarding through mangroves and hikes through volcanic landscapes.—
Rachel Ingram,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In July, a geologist warned that an ongoing cluster of smaller earthquakes near the Nicobar Islands could signal a volcanic eruption in the Andaman Sea, which raises fears of another tsunami.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As and when evidence against that narrative comes out, either via six monthly reports or from some other source, the crash in the stock price will be more vicious than otherwise.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock-down, drag-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock-down%2C%20drag-out. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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