knocking up

Definition of knocking upnext
present participle of knock up, British

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 up With 200 hp worth of empty space to play with before knocking up against the 600-hp V12 Verado, Mercury is dialing up the overall output of the V10 range by adding a new 425-hp variant as the flagship of the family. New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking up
Verb
  • That distinction matters for anyone whose main frustration is waking in the night rather than struggling to fall asleep in the first place.
    Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
  • These tough shrubs provide a valuable food source for early waking pollinators.
    Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • What the Cortisol Awakening Response Actually Is The cortisol awakening response is the rapid surge of cortisol across the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking, per a January 2025 review in Endocrine Reviews.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
  • As temperatures climb and trees bud with the arrival of spring, a native frog species is awakening after months being frozen and nearly dead.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In Hocus Pocus, Dani, her older brother Max (Omri Katz) and his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw) have to save the children of Salem, Massachusetts after accidentally awaking the witch Sanderson sisters from their 300-year slumber.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Tirso Ornelas’ seventh-inning grand slam triggered a late-game awaking as Triple-A El Paso beat host Sugar Land 13-2 on Wednesday.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Knocking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20up. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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