knock-down, drag-out

adjective

ˈnäk-ˌdauṅ-ˈdrag-ˌau̇t How to pronounce knock-down, drag-out (audio)
variants or knock-down-and-drag-out
Definition of knock-down, drag-outnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock-down, drag-out
  1. violent
  2. fierce
  3. ferocious
  4. furious
  5. turbulent
  6. rough
  7. volcanic
  8. rabid
Adjective
  • Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • Its young people are increasingly educated and ambitious but many are frustrated over fierce competition for limited jobs.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • The Pride and Angel City have established a fierce rivalry in their short history.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Known for his command of ferocious demon-quelling deities, Zhenwu remains a popular deity in Daoist exorcist rituals in places such as Taiwan.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
  • That’s because a parasite called Cyclospora, which can contaminate raw produce and causes ferocious and long-lasting bouts of diarrheal illness, is making people sick across several states.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • The Kang Kon was unveiled a month after the Choe Hyon in May 2025, but it was damaged during a botched launch at the northern port of Chongjin, prompting a furious response from Kim.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of furious
Adjective
  • Weaker global markets, which have impacted tech stock valuations, and the turbulent performance of SpaceX’s recent massive IPO were among the top concerns cited by insiders who have made the case that patience is a virtue.
    — John Kell, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • His confirmation closes one of the most turbulent presidential searches in UF history.
    — Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • Mariana is not pleased to hear this, and he's got some rough-looking dudes with him.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Dual suspension helps smooth rough trails, hydraulic disc brakes provide dependable stopping power in changing conditions, and four-inch fat tires improve traction across gravel, dirt, sand, and pavement.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • Captain Ahab is, of course, the volcanic figure who transforms the Pequod’s voyage into something truly rich and strange.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • Schrodinger basin, a large impact crater near the moon’s south pole, shows evidence of geologically recent volcanic activity.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Definition of volcanic
Adjective
  • The other rabid animals were five bats and one each cat, coyote, skunk and woodchuck.
    — Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 3 July 2026
  • This was a rabid, partisan home-soil advantage that flat-out bullied the squad into surviving.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Definition of rabid

Browse Nearby Words

knockdown
knock-down, drag-out
knockdowns
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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 8 Jul. 2026.

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