as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the entire staff knocked itself out getting the project finished on time
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Recent Examples of knocking out
Microsoft’s Azure cloud network faced a major disruption Wednesday, knocking out access to popular platforms including Office 365, Minecraft, and Xbox Live.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
Melissa hit Jamaica on Tuesday, knocking out communications and power across the island.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
The storm has also inundated parts of the Dominican Republic, damaging over 100 homes and knocking out water service in several parts of the country, officials said.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
In May, a tree fell, knocking out the B&B’s power.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
In 2018, after knocking out the Yankees in the ALDS, the Red Sox blasted the tune.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
The first, of course, came last year, and featured Cleveland knocking out the Tigers in a full-distance best-of-five ALDS.
—Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
And some vaccines are combination shots, knocking out three or four diseases with one injection, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or the Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The damaging winds uprooted trees and tore roof shingles in neighborhoods around Carmichael, knocking out power to more than 13,000 SMUD customers in Sacramento’s northeast suburbs.
—Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
Melissa hit Jamaica on Tuesday, knocking out communications and power across the island.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
The storm has also inundated parts of the Dominican Republic, damaging over 100 homes and knocking out water service in several parts of the country, officials said.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
In May, a tree fell, knocking out the B&B’s power.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
In 2018, after knocking out the Yankees in the ALDS, the Red Sox blasted the tune.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
The first, of course, came last year, and featured Cleveland knocking out the Tigers in a full-distance best-of-five ALDS.
—Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
And some vaccines are combination shots, knocking out three or four diseases with one injection, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or the Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The damaging winds uprooted trees and tore roof shingles in neighborhoods around Carmichael, knocking out power to more than 13,000 SMUD customers in Sacramento’s northeast suburbs.
—Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking out
Verb
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Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Chavez posted a photo of Gregory Bovino walking down 33rd Street and Portland Avenue, flanked by three agents wearing masks.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Gerard Damiano was a smart guy, a hairdresser from the Bronx who directed Deep Throat and the follow-up, Devil in Miss Jones, which were killing it at the box office, high up on Variety’s Top 50 list of the highestgrossing films.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The storm was the deadliest typhoon to hit the country this year, killing at least 114 people, with many more reported missing — most in Cebu province, a tourist hotspot.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Jovanny Hernandez followed stories of immigration throughout the year, including Judge Hannah Dugan’s obstruction charges and Yessenia Ruano’s decision to return to El Salvador after exhausting options in Milwaukee.—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
jsonline.com,
26 Dec. 2025
-
Nancy went out to work in the fields and took a job in a school cafeteria, exhausting herself to hold on to the children.—
Alex Abramovich,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
-
So people shouldn’t swim against the current, which puts them at risk of tiring out.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Your energy is precious, and burning out no longer feels worth the adrenaline rush.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
-
Some smoke appeared to come from cars performing donuts and burning out tires at a street takeover, FOX11 Los Angeles reported.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
On sale for $30, this sweatshirt and shorts set is a no-brainer for wearing out and about with sneakers.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
This past winter, the overhaul included the loss of Gleyber Torres, who was a two-time All-Star with the Yankees before refusing to move off of second base to accommodate Chisholm and eventually wearing out his welcome in the Bronx.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Dallas’ defense has been bad on third downs, washing out a resurgent Dak Prescott season (second in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns).—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
25 Dec. 2025
-
But his tendency to swing and miss puts him at risk of washing out.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Indoor poinsettias should be repotted out of poorly draining pots as soon as possible, while outdoor plants should only be transplanted outside when temperatures are above 50°F.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Add a base layer of well-draining potting mix to the bottom of the new pot, about a few inches deep.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20out. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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