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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock-down, drag-out
Adjective
-
Israel then launched its war on the strip, which has been devastated by fierce bombardment and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground operations.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Plenty of companies offer fully remote work, Frana says, but competition can be fierce for those roles.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Others, like Ghiath Dalla, a brigadier general whose forces were involved in violent repression of protests, is among several former officers plotting sabotage from Lebanon, according to ex-military commanders, who also shared text message exchanges with The Times.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Continue reading … FED UP – Trump storms most violent US city with federal muscle as police group warns of soft-on-crime consequences.—
,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Israel unleased a ferocious response that has claimed the lives of more then 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
9 Oct. 2025
-
In offseason videos, though, he’s been flying through the air and flushing down ferocious dunks, so the athleticism looks to be back.—
Stan Son,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Robbie and Jayson have a furious battle, but Jayson sticks the fatal knife stab before fleeing.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Wilson was visibly furious, walking up to head coach Aaron Glenn and seemingly speaking his mind after a six-point first half for the Jets.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Ring of Fire is a vast tectonic belt encircling much of the Pacific Ocean, known for its intense seismic and volcanic activity.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Gone, too, is the volcanic chemistry the two stars had in Pretty Woman.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Make people laugh and help people out and just keep that vicious cycle of fun going.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Some beaches along the East Coast might no longer exist after a vicious storm threatening significant coastal flooding passes through the area this weekend, AccuWeather warned in an email to reporters on Thursday.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 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 Oct. 2025.
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