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
Lake Howell beat rival Oviedo, then the region’s top-seed, Mainland, before knocking out the 2025 region champ, Tocoi Creek, in an 82-77 double-overtime game.
—
Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Blizzard-like conditions whipped into Connecticut overnight Sunday into Monday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in the state, clogging roads, closing schools and generally creating other misery.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
In his defense, Barnett took the stand to say there was no murder plot and that Thomas extorted him for the money using physical violence – knocking out his teeth, injured his left shoulder, and smacking his private parts.
—Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
In July 2024, an outage with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike plunged the country and beyond into chaos, knocking out services at airports, hospitals, grocery stores and more.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
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
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
Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Blizzard-like conditions whipped into Connecticut overnight Sunday into Monday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in the state, clogging roads, closing schools and generally creating other misery.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
In his defense, Barnett took the stand to say there was no murder plot and that Thomas extorted him for the money using physical violence – knocking out his teeth, injured his left shoulder, and smacking his private parts.
—Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
In July 2024, an outage with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike plunged the country and beyond into chaos, knocking out services at airports, hospitals, grocery stores and more.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking out
Verb
-
Then in February this year rumors swirled that the couple had secretly married, after Zendaya was spotted wearing a gold band instead of the diamond ring.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
-
All of them, naturally, are wearing Burberry’s famous trench coat.—
Luke Leitch,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The latest Middle East conflict continues spiraling days after Israel and the US launched their joint operation on Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, triggering retaliatory strikes on Israel and neighboring Gulf states and plunging the region into fear and uncertainty.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Video of a barricade situation in Baltimore County is gaining attention and giving a closer look at what led to police shooting and killing a man inside his home on Wednesday night.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As these components segregate over generations, the gene drive becomes less functional, strategy that has been described as a means of developing self-exhausting gene drives that limit geographic distribution.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The selling pressure appears to be exhausting itself, setting the stage for a classic snap-back rally.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This helps each step feel lighter and easier, diminishing fatigue and letting the wearer venture out farther without tiring.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
-
This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Families are aging, caregivers are burning out, and too many people are forced into crisis placements or inappropriate settings because suitable housing options simply do not exist.—
Fay Lenz,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
-
This approach is gaining traction across sales, partnerships, and customer success teams, where professionals face constant pressure to be responsive without burning out.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Brockett emphasizes, producers are cognizant of not wearing out their welcome with viewers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
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And yes, that extends to our federal government — in particular, the Department of Homeland Security, which is fast wearing out its welcome here.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tiny water droplets can scatter light, washing out the vivid reds and oranges.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
That's it—no waiting and washing out required.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In full sun or partial shade and well-draining soil, creeping thyme puts on a show, with small flowers covering the ground like a colorful carpet.—
Jamie McIntosh,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Provide well-draining soils as root rot can develop in wet soil.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20out. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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