variants
or knock-down-and-drag-out
as in violent
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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Recent Examples of knock-down, drag-out
But its industry titans are also locked in a knock-down, drag-out fight for market share, with brutal price wars and competition in a crowded home market deflating profits and stymieing growth.
—
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
That means the knock-down, drag-out government shutdown battles that have become a Washington ritual are, in effect, a fight over a little more than a quarter of the federal ledger.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
The meeting of a pair of programs on the rise was a knock-down, drag-out affair that appeared to have no end in sight.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
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
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
That means the knock-down, drag-out government shutdown battles that have become a Washington ritual are, in effect, a fight over a little more than a quarter of the federal ledger.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
The meeting of a pair of programs on the rise was a knock-down, drag-out affair that appeared to have no end in sight.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock-down, drag-out
Adjective
-
When Ahmed suggested that this was a bad idea, since Denise was the one who had been violent, Denise began cursing at him.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Some people argue that enforcement becomes necessary when encampments grow large or long-term, especially when safety concerns, sanitation issues, or violent incidents arise.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, Juventus was roundly jeered after losing 2-0 at home to fierce rivals Fiorentina, while Como held on for a 1-0 win over Parma to leave Cesc Fàbregas’ team still in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League just seven years after playing in Italy's fourth division.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
In the remote native villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, on the coast of the Bering Sea, Halong’s fierce flooding lifted homes off their foundations and carried them down a river with people still inside.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The first wave of women’s-rights activists won suffrage for women, against ferocious and sometimes violent opposition.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
Featuring aching, ferocious performances from Emmy winners Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, Camp Miasma imagines the resurrection of a dormant slasher franchise.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dozens of furious Nantes supporters were angry over their team’s abysmal season.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Debuting director Ronan Corrigan keeps things moving at a fast and furious pace.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Inside, another naked woman on a Jet Ski does circles in a turbulent body of water.—
Sebastian Smee,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
The shift has direct market implications, Dalio said, as investors must navigate a turbulent period where currency values face risk and uncertainty demands liquidity and diversification including gold.—
David Westin,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
In a region of rough roads, Chispa is among the roughest.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
That is often billed as a finishing school for footballing talent, but graduates inevitably remain rough around the edges.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Crater of Diamonds is the only place in the world where the public can dig up natural diamonds in their original volcanic source.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
The boundaries are also the areas where most of the earthquakes and volcanic activity happen.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Mitchell’s music variously evokes gospel, blues, working songs and the ravings of a rabid cult.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
There's no question that Wetzel has a rabid following, and continues to build a powerful brand in the country music world.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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 19 May. 2026.
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