Synonyms of knock down

knock down 1 of 3

verb

ˈnäk-ˈdau̇n 

1

as in to win

to receive as return for effort

she's knocking down a good salary, but she has to work very hard

Synonyms & Similar Words

• win
• earn
• reap
• gain
• make
• get
• garner
• obtain
• pull down
• land
• realize
• bring in
• secure
• attain
• acquire
• capture
• come by
• procure
• draw
• carry
• achieve
• bag
• accomplish
• gross
• accumulate
• score
• net
• occupy
• take over
• pick up
• regain
• notch (up)
• amass
• clear
• rack up
• catch
• recapture
• annex
• remake
• reacquire
• reattain

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• pay
• forfeit
• give
• grant
• accord
• yield
• give up
• surrender
• part (with)
• hand over
• relinquish

2

as in to take down

to take apart

right after the holidays the stores start to knock down the window displays

Synonyms & Similar Words

• take down
• disconnect
• dismantle
• break down
• strike
• detach
• disassemble
• dismount
• dismember
• divide
• demount
• disengage
• separate
• disaggregate
• break up
• disarticulate
• dissever
• disunite
• disjoin
• disjoint

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• construct
• build
• assemble
• erect
• combine
• unite
• pitch

3

as in to down

to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall

the overexcited dog knocked the toddler down

Synonyms & Similar Words

• down
• drop
• knock over
• mow (down)
• fell
• hit
• floor
• smack
• bowl (down or over)
• topple
• slap
• knock out
• level
• punch
• slam
• bang
• prostrate
• throw down
• pound
• overthrow
• poke
• thump
• whack
• jab
• paste
• swipe
• bash
• belt
• slug
• smite
• hammer
• bludgeon
• sock
• KO
• clobber
• swat
• whale
• kayo
• wallop
• slog
• thwack

4

as in to reduce

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

they'll have to knock down the price of those televisions if they expect to sell any

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reduce
• decrease
• lower
• ease
• deplete
• diminish
• minimize
• cut down
• downsize
• lessen
• cut
• dent
• slash
• abate
• dwindle
• drop
• cut back
• compress
• downscale
• de-escalate
• shorten
• shrink
• trim
• contract
• pare
• nick
• dock
• truncate
• crop
• clip
• condense
• modify
• prune
• curtail
• constrict
• abbreviate
• whittle
• retrench
• modulate
• abridge
• deflate
• moderate
• qualify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• expand
• raise
• augment
• boost
• blow up
• add (to)
• amplify
• enlarge
• escalate
• swell
• extend
• inflate
• prolong
• dilate
• supplement
• lengthen
• complement
• elongate
• enhance
• aggrandize
• intensify
• heighten
• distend
• protract
• redouble

knockdown

2 of 3

adjective

chiefly British

as in dropped

Related Words

• dropped
• decreased
• depressed
• under
• receded
• low
• down

Dissimilar Words

• high
• increased
• elevated
• maximum
• raised
• up
• heightened
• extreme
• full
• utmost
• peaked
• escalated
• inflated
• jacked (up)
• over
• sky-high
• oversize
• maximized
• overloaded
• overflowing
• overlarge
• overfilled
• overfull

knockdown

3 of 3

noun

as in KO

Related Words

• KO
• knockout
• uppercut
• knee
• roundhouse
• one-two
• swing
• sucker punch
• left
• body blow
• right
• kick
• kayo
• thrashing
• hammering
• beating
• pummeling
• shiver
• pounding
• rabbit punch
• sidewinder
• cruncher
• drubbing
• battering
• counter
• licking
• pasting
• clobbering
• counterstroke
• bludgeoning
• hand
• blow
• whipping
• right-hander
• whip
• counterblow
• counterpunch
• flogging
• cudgeling
• bastinado
• hook
• punch
• hit
• stroke
• knock
• thud
• thump
• clip
• chop
• pound
• bat
• bang
• lash
• switch
• slug
• buffet
• swipe
• smack
• lambasting
• slap
• pelt
• beat
• belt
• bop
• haymaker
• stinger
• stripe
• plump
• hack
• cuff
• welt
• whack
• box
• rap
• swat
• walloping
• clap
• wham
• biff
• slam
• sock
• bust
• wallop
• thwack
• fillip
• smash
• clout
• bash
• pick
• dab
• poke
• spank
• lick
• crack
• douse
• whop
• larrup

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of knock down

Verb

One is straightforward schadenfreude, the human instinct to ensure those who get a little big for their boots are knocked down a peg or two. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Use a broom or stick to knock down spider webs and old cobwebs, and sweep under any furniture or planters. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026

Adjective

That competitive mariachi exists is a knockdown effect of this. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2023

When the American Civil Liberties Union agreed to represent Collin, a philosophical dispute became a knockdown, drag-out battle. — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2023

Noun

The fines come a month after firefighters declared an official knockdown of the stubborn warehouse blaze, which sent thick smoke into the surrounding neighborhoods and across Southern California. — Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

Sandhagen’s leg was injured in the first round after a submission attempt from Sandhagen bounced back with a strong second frame, but a knockdown in the third and several takedowns gave Bautista the win in the worst fight of the night. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026