1
as in bumping
to come into usually forceful contact with something
my knee knocked against the table leg when I tried to get up quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
threatened to knock him upside the head if he didn't do as he was told
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in blaming
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
hey, don't knock it until you've tried it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking
There were plenty of upsets, from Houston falling to West Virginia to SMU potentially knocking Miami out of the playoffs one week after the Mustangs lost to Wake Forest.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2025
Door knocking is an important part of campaigning, according to Jeff Lyons, an associate professor at Boise State University.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Nov. 2025
The match did not last long, as Steveson secured the victory by knocking his opponent out in just seconds with effective uppercuts.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
The contestants then had to compete in a physically taxing challenge that involved pushing a heavy cart along a bumpy path, stacking sand bags, climbing ladders, knocking discs off poles, and then finally knocking down four bamboo targets.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
To be sure, shares of Microsoft and Meta Platforms were under pressure Thursday from their respective spending forecasts, knocking the broader stock market.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
Witnesses told investigators that Bouchard and Vondersmith appeared to be racing when Vondersmith swerved his pickup truck into Bouchard’s motorcycle, knocking the motorcyclist into a guardrail.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
But knocking it out of the ballpark with two of her earliest roles meant the dream of being a musician fell by the wayside.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2025
Door knocking is an important part of campaigning, according to Jeff Lyons, an associate professor at Boise State University.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Nov. 2025
The match did not last long, as Steveson secured the victory by knocking his opponent out in just seconds with effective uppercuts.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
The contestants then had to compete in a physically taxing challenge that involved pushing a heavy cart along a bumpy path, stacking sand bags, climbing ladders, knocking discs off poles, and then finally knocking down four bamboo targets.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
To be sure, shares of Microsoft and Meta Platforms were under pressure Thursday from their respective spending forecasts, knocking the broader stock market.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
Witnesses told investigators that Bouchard and Vondersmith appeared to be racing when Vondersmith swerved his pickup truck into Bouchard’s motorcycle, knocking the motorcyclist into a guardrail.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
But knocking it out of the ballpark with two of her earliest roles meant the dream of being a musician fell by the wayside.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking
Verb
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Kylie's debut dethroned Joe Rogan, bumping The Joe Rogan Experience down to the second spot.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Our team noted whether the vacuums were able to navigate around the house without bumping into furniture or getting caught on area rugs.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
-
After an incompletion on third down, McCashland’s 25-yard field goal attempt was no good, hitting the right upright with 17 seconds remaining in the half.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Golfers can stop blaming bad luck for those maddening near-misses.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Trump is just straight-up doling out untruths – and blaming Biden.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Instead of slamming it home, Antetokounmpo soared over the defenders to make an improbable catch, landed and flicked an on-target pass to Rollins for a corner 3 before falling out of bounds to give Milwaukee a 14-point lead.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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His brief mention of the shutdown focused on slamming Democrats.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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An arrest warrant has been issued for a high school football player accused of intentionally smacking one of his opponents on the head at their game, according to investigators in North Florida.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
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In the season four premiere of Mayor of Kingstown, co-creators/writers Hugh Dillon and Taylor Sheridan waste no time smacking viewers with a sense of doom and gloom.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Though George Washington and the press started off amicably, their relationship grew more adversarial once journalists began criticizing the nation’s first president.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani — who came under fire during the race for his past comments criticizing the New York Police Department — on Wednesday also reiterated his intention to keep the city’s current police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The legendary Public Enemy rapper and dating show debutante served as the guest judge on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, in which the eight remaining couples hit the floor with head-banging routines set to a litany of iconic anthems.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
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If someone does encounter a coyote, officials said to scare away the animal by yelling, using airhorns, banging pots and pans or throwing objects.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The van reaches home ground and no one talks and the only sound along that final stretch is El Camello slapping himself to scare away mosquitoes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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First, rather than slapping a latex mask and makeup on Schuster-Koloamatangi, performance capture technology is used to have Dek’s face come alive with the actor’s expressions.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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