1
as in stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
knock it off!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abandoning
to stop doing (something) permanently
decided it was time to knock off telling fantastic fibs about her family background
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in subtracting
to take away (an amount or number) from a total
a proposal to knock 10 cents off the gasoline tax
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in robbing
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
Bonnie and Clyde coped with the Great Depression by knocking off banks
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5
as in murdering
to put to death deliberately
various assassins have tried to knock off the dictator over the years
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking off
Shorten race distance by knocking off a couple of laps where needed, among other less-drastic tweaks.
—
Jerry Perez, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Now three weeks into jogging on his full body weight, Kittle is looking forward to getting cleared for football movements — run blocking, pass protection, route running, and rust knocking off.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
Chris Curry’s club got to this point by sweeping the Hattiesburg Regional, knocking off host Southern Miss on Friday and then beating Jacksonville State on Saturday and Sunday.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 3 June 2026
What wasn’t was Eastern Michigan and Oceanside’s Leovao twins first surviving Sunday’s stroke-play cut from 30 to 15 teams, then advancing to Tuesday morning’s quarterfinals, then knocking off Texas in dramatic fashion to reach the afternoon semis.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Their reward for knocking off the second-best team in the conference was a short turnaround trip to high altitude to face the top team in Colorado.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026
Vegas has reached its fifth conference final in its nine-year existence by reeling off 15 wins in 20 games under Tortorella, knocking off Utah and then Anaheim in the playoffs.
—Nate Peterson, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Atascocita rose to the occasion again, however, knocking off the Spartans in another overtime thriller.
—Jon Poorman, Houston Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Texas, meanwhile, rode the momentum after knocking off likely NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa and BYU in the first round.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Jerry Perez, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Now three weeks into jogging on his full body weight, Kittle is looking forward to getting cleared for football movements — run blocking, pass protection, route running, and rust knocking off.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
Chris Curry’s club got to this point by sweeping the Hattiesburg Regional, knocking off host Southern Miss on Friday and then beating Jacksonville State on Saturday and Sunday.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 3 June 2026
What wasn’t was Eastern Michigan and Oceanside’s Leovao twins first surviving Sunday’s stroke-play cut from 30 to 15 teams, then advancing to Tuesday morning’s quarterfinals, then knocking off Texas in dramatic fashion to reach the afternoon semis.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Their reward for knocking off the second-best team in the conference was a short turnaround trip to high altitude to face the top team in Colorado.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026
Vegas has reached its fifth conference final in its nine-year existence by reeling off 15 wins in 20 games under Tortorella, knocking off Utah and then Anaheim in the playoffs.
—Nate Peterson, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Atascocita rose to the occasion again, however, knocking off the Spartans in another overtime thriller.
—Jon Poorman, Houston Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Texas, meanwhile, rode the momentum after knocking off likely NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa and BYU in the first round.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking off
Verb
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Fans can also pick up souvenir maps when stopping at the attraction this summer.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
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Things to do along the Little Parkway Southern Living recommends stopping at several of the High Country’s most popular attractions, including Grandfather Mountain, where visitors can cross the Mile High Swinging Bridge, explore the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and access nearby trails.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Those hoping to attend the game described a frantic scene on social media, with some sharing stories of abandoning their rides, including shuttles and rideshares, and walking to the stadium.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
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Build bridges without abandoning your brilliant self.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
Verb
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What did help ease respondent's minds, based on the survey results, was having a higher net worth, found by subtracting a household's liabilities from its assets.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
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This measures the degree by which tuition, donations and investment revenue cover a college’s educational expenses by subtracting its core expenses from its core revenues and dividing the difference by its core revenues.—
Matt Schifrin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Vukelich believes artificial intelligence is robbing teens of some potential jobs and that laws to boost the minimum wage in some states have pitted first-time job-seekers against more experienced candidates.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
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This announcement came after two teens were arrested for allegedly robbing another juvenile at gunpoint during a teen link-up at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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In December 2025, Nick Reiner was arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents, beloved filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer/producer Michele Reiner.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
16 June 2026
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Mangione is accused of stalking and murdering Brian Thompson, age 50, a health insurance executive and father of two, on a Manhattan street in 2024.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Before ending his career, Tanter witnessed another Laker capture the all-time scoring record as James eclipsed Abdul-Jabbar's 38,287 points.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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In 2003, Roy Horn was attacked by a white Bengal tiger during a Siegfried & Roy show, leaving him partially paralyzed and ending the long-running act.—
Dan Snierson,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Nearly 8 in 10 grieving workers consider quitting their jobs after a major loss, according to workplace bereavement firm Empathy.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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Lee was thinking of quitting baseball when he was released before getting scooped by the Braves as a minor-league free agent in 2021.—
Jesús Cano,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Occasional or incidental business use probably would not justify deducting the full year, so keep records showing how the subscription was used.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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Kean is counting on voters rewarding him for tax cuts that Trump signed into law last year, including easing the restrictions on deducting state and local taxes, or SALT, a big issue for upper middle-class homeowners in high-tax blue states like New Jersey.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20off. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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