as in sipped
to swallow in liquid form
desperately thirsty, she knocked back an entire glass of water without pausing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocked back
Unlike the native predators that are knocked back by drought, swamp eels are already lying in wait as water levels rise, prompting crayfish and other forage fish to repopulate the wetlands.
—
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
He sort of just gets knocked back a little bit.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
With ghost Rich’s help, the kids sink the dagger into the ground beneath the deadwood, and the Pennywise bird is knocked back onto the ice by a beam of light.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Next door, at the nearly pitch-black bar Nothing Really Matters, a pair of court officers knocked back tomato martinis as a couple got handsy over pilsners a few seats down.
—The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025
Two employees of Kentucky Truck Parts and Service, whose shop is located on the edge of the debris field, told CNN affiliate WLKY they were knocked back by the explosion.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Colts three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and mates knocked back linemen and linebackers.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
After 400 that pinnacle drop is the only thing to level you up, and after six months, everyone is getting knocked back down to 200 to do it all over again.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
He sort of just gets knocked back a little bit.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
With ghost Rich’s help, the kids sink the dagger into the ground beneath the deadwood, and the Pennywise bird is knocked back onto the ice by a beam of light.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Next door, at the nearly pitch-black bar Nothing Really Matters, a pair of court officers knocked back tomato martinis as a couple got handsy over pilsners a few seats down.
—The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025
Two employees of Kentucky Truck Parts and Service, whose shop is located on the edge of the debris field, told CNN affiliate WLKY they were knocked back by the explosion.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Colts three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and mates knocked back linemen and linebackers.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
After 400 that pinnacle drop is the only thing to level you up, and after six months, everyone is getting knocked back down to 200 to do it all over again.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocked back
Verb
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But when the woman went to the bathroom, Valentin removed a small sandwich bag from his pocket and poured a powdered substance into his date’s drink, mixed it around, and either sipped or blew on it, according to court records describing the surveillance footage.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
9 Mar. 2026
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Elsewhere, Song Sung Blue best actress nominee Kate Hudson sipped an espresso martini while reuniting with her castmates on Running Point, the Netflix comedy about a fictional LA basketball team, which returns for a second season next month.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The two fan clubs drank beers and ate food together ahead of the match at PayPal Park.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
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However, in the mirror universe, these Actors-on-Actors town halls have been appointment viewing ever since Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon promoted The Departed together in 2007 and got into a shouting match over Wahlberg’s accusation that Damon had never drank a Dunkin’ coffee in his life.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As studios gulped down profits, talent below and above the line began to demand adequate shares of the pie.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
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Alarms go off, phones come out, coffee is gulped down, and before either partner is fully awake, they’re already headed into separate days.—
Mark Travers,
CNBC,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocked back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocked%20back. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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