1
as in robbing
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
he knocked over six convenience stores before getting caught
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in downing
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
knocked me over trying to get out the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking over
The robot was captured on video at the Haidilao location approaching a table before pounding on it, then knocking over utensils and food in front of customers.
—
Isabel Yip, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Bess finally blurted out, gesticulating and knocking over her glass of wine just as Sam opened a new bottle.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Coach Travis Steele screamed at the officials at halftime, knocking over a speaker on his way off the court and picking up a technical foul.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
When—and why—laughter works In the study, Sezer and her colleagues ran six experiments involving more than 3,000 participants who read about other people’s embarrassing mishaps, like dramatically knocking over a glass in a restaurant or enthusiastically waving at the wrong person.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Jascoco The cows stampeded into a neighborhood, knocking over mailboxes, trampling fences, and bumping into cars as they were being chased.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Again, the bots were not always gainly—one viral video showed a humanoid veering off a running track and knocking over a human spectator—but the atmosphere was one of dynamism and experimentation.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teaser opens with the good boy knocking over and breaking a glass bottle, then peeing on a newspaper declaring Superman’s triumph over Lex Luthor.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
Attendees could try their hand at knocking over tin cans, throwing lassos and a ring toss.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Isabel Yip, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Bess finally blurted out, gesticulating and knocking over her glass of wine just as Sam opened a new bottle.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Coach Travis Steele screamed at the officials at halftime, knocking over a speaker on his way off the court and picking up a technical foul.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
When—and why—laughter works In the study, Sezer and her colleagues ran six experiments involving more than 3,000 participants who read about other people’s embarrassing mishaps, like dramatically knocking over a glass in a restaurant or enthusiastically waving at the wrong person.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Jascoco The cows stampeded into a neighborhood, knocking over mailboxes, trampling fences, and bumping into cars as they were being chased.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Again, the bots were not always gainly—one viral video showed a humanoid veering off a running track and knocking over a human spectator—but the atmosphere was one of dynamism and experimentation.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teaser opens with the good boy knocking over and breaking a glass bottle, then peeing on a newspaper declaring Superman’s triumph over Lex Luthor.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
Attendees could try their hand at knocking over tin cans, throwing lassos and a ring toss.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking over
Verb
-
He did get spared a blown save by Jo Adell robbing his third home run of the game on April 4.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The 31-year-old Bader, who signed a two-year deal this offseason, initially sustained the hamstring injury at the very end of spring training, robbing him of at-bats leading up to the season.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These winds will be capable of snapping tree branches and downing power lines.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Severe storms Monday damaged communities across the Plains and Midwest, with tornadoes reported in Kansas, Minnesota and Wisconsin destroying homes, downing power lines and leaving over 25,000 without power in Wisconsin.—
Nick Ingram,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Friday, officials said the water levels were dropping after reaching less than 5 inches.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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There was also the City Council’s jaw-dropping decision in November to raise the annual fees for the two subsidized valet parking spots every hotel gets by 789% — from $634 to $5,000.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Big man Neemias Queta even got in on the action for Boston, knocking down his first career 3 to go along with 10 rebounds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Acknowledgment can also feel like the bare minimum, but the fight for it grows increasingly urgent when the American President is knocking down public memorials of slavery like tin ducks in a carnival shooting game.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Read was accused of hitting O'Keefe with her SUV during a blizzard after a night of heavy drinking and leaving him to die in the snow outside of a Canton home.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israel struck three teams of paramedics Wednesday in southern Lebanon, first hitting one team and then two more that rushed to help.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20over. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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