KNOCKING Synonyms: 213 Similar and Opposite Words

knocking

verb

present participle of knock

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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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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 knocking Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 Belgium trounced the United States, winning 4-1, knocking the hosts out of the competition. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 7 July 2026 For many golfers, knocking a stroke or two off of their scores comes down to the short game. — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 Despite that setback, Argentina kept knocking on the door going into halftime. — Sean Gregory, Time, 7 July 2026 Well, Tristan climbed it; my knee-knocking fear of heights halted me halfway up. — Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026 And take the Exit Readiness Quiz to understand exactly where the gaps are before any business buyer comes knocking. — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 That meant knocking on doors, cold-calling potential sellers, and stretching his hours to serve clients in different time zones. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 June 2026 Solve puzzles by knocking stuff over, meowing at bots, and hacking terminals with a drone backpack buddy. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking

Verb

In this case, safe meant a track big enough for two riders to race without bumping into each other.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
Hurd was seen fist-bumping another attacker moments after deputies intervened, Madden Ragland said.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 23 June 2026

Definition of bumping

Verb

With men on first and second against Andrew Alvarez (2-3), Rice hit a drive on the fourth straight curveball from Alvarez that center fielder Dylan Crews was unable to catch while slamming into the wall.

— CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Six fighting bulls and their steers repeatedly knocked runners to the cobblestones, with one bull breaking from the herd and slamming into a cluster of unsuspecting participants.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

The first mode is a more simple impact detonation — simply put, smacking the asteroid's surface to create a shallow crater, in which a nuclear device is exploded.

— Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 7 July 2026
Gill saved the first shot in the penalty shootout against Germany, diving to his left and smacking away the ball headed for the back of the net.

— Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had again been aggressively criticizing NATO for its lack of support over Iran and for failing to spend anywhere near enough money on its own security.

— Justina Lee, CNBC, 10 July 2026
That didn't stop the public from criticizing the weekend congestion.

— Noe Padilla, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Definition of criticizing

Verb

There was briefly some concern earlier this year that Chestnut wouldn’t be able to participate in the 2026 competition after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a man in an Indiana bar.

— Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Haaland’s winning goal came after another bout of yanking and pulling; the striker tried to free himself by slapping the defender’s arm away, eventually just carrying on regardless.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026