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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 knocking His co-worker, Donna DuBray, was part of the group and saw Carbullido fall off, briefly knocking him out. — Michele Gile, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Pre-season has brought many long passing sequences from players, knocking the ball around in fluid passing triangles. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Now the Department of Justice is knocking on the door, and Walter is scrambling to unwind deals and pay back billions before the feds bring the hammer down. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 Near the end, police said Ayres appeared to grab Dunn by the hair and punch her in the face, knocking her down. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026 When the picture on the far left was made, the fabulous George Herman Ruth, an orphan, was making $80,000 a year knocking home runs for the New York Yankees. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Every follow, every comment, every DM is someone knocking on the door. — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 As soon as the credits came up, every show, there’d be people knocking on the door. — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 Cooper was accused of sending 20 messages and making two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend before going to her apartment and knocking on her door, according to the arrest affidavit. — ABC News, 29 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking

Verb

Fears that the good times might be over slashed 15% from the share price and since then the shares have been bumping along the basement of a fall of about 35%.

— Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
That leaves operators with very little room to keep bumping prices.

— Wyles Daniel, jsonline.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of bumping

Verb

Duran started the year hitting third and now bats seventh or eighth, and his hold on everyday playing time might have been saved by Masataka Yoshida’s injury — at least until Roman Anthony’s return.

— Jayson Stark, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Digging for compliments Shares in mining giant BHP are trading higher in Australia, hitting a two-month high, after the company topped earnings expectations and unveiled plans to pay its highest dividend in four years.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

People shooting them too far forward and then blaming the cartridge, maybe.

— Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
But blaming the technology risks obscuring the fact that humans write the code, select the data on which AI systems are trained, approve their use, and decide where and how they are deployed.

— Shaun Harper, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of blaming

Verb

The film also depicts Gorbachev as something of a drama queen during the meetings, slamming the table and raising his voice.

— Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
The active tropics comes on the 22nd anniversary of Hurricane Charley slamming into Florida, the beginning of one of the worst hurricane years in the state’s history.

— Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
McCain has often spoken out against the British royal family and Markle, in particular, routinely criticizing her on the Happy Hour talk series during the 2025 release of Markle’s docuseries With Love, Meghan.

— Mariel Turner, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of criticizing

Verb

Where grass grows right up to a tree’s trunk, the lawnmower will inevitably follow, banging and chipping the bark or scalping bark off roots that are exposed above the soil.

— Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
In several municipalities, particularly in Havana, residents staged neighborhood protests after blackouts lasting more than 48 hours, banging pots and pans and burning garbage piled up on street corners.

— Andrea Rodriguez, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of banging

Verb

Lionel Messi was fined by MLS for lightly slapping Union attacker Quinn Sullivan.

— Matt Piper, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Universities are not just slapping corporate logos on uniforms and facilities but building entertainment districts that can be lucrative far beyond game days.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026