as in to buckle (down)
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Recent Examples of knuckle down
Stanway knuckled down, attacked the rehab programme and wanted to be the best team-mate possible.
—
Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 12 July 2025
One teacher remembered him as an unspectacular student, more focused on making his cohort laugh than knuckling down.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Rooney knuckled down and was United’s best player for the first half of the following season.
—Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the actor only ever knuckles down at being loathsome.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Chelsea have had to knuckle down to beat United before.
—Jessy Parker Humphreys, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Eddie Howe’s arrival as manager and a positional change helped, as did a willingness to knuckle down.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 12 July 2025
One teacher remembered him as an unspectacular student, more focused on making his cohort laugh than knuckling down.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
There is every chance Pepi may decide to knuckle down and keep pushing De Jong, as PSV chase a successful defense of their title and progress in the Champions League.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Rooney knuckled down and was United’s best player for the first half of the following season.
—Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the actor only ever knuckles down at being loathsome.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Chelsea have had to knuckle down to beat United before.
—Jessy Parker Humphreys, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Eddie Howe’s arrival as manager and a positional change helped, as did a willingness to knuckle down.
—Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle down
Verb
-
Darvish has thrown 69 pitches in each of his last two starts after hitting 83 in his second start.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 July 2025
-
Domínguez did not pitch in the opener, which the Orioles won 16-4.—
Noah Trister,
Chicago Tribune,
30 July 2025
Verb
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As Jackson County leaders look toward a likely delay for a public election to recall County Executive Frank White Jr. and others are calling for his resignation, the former Royals Hall of Famer is digging in his heels against the efforts to oust him.—
Ilana Arougheti
July 17,
Kansas City Star,
17 July 2025
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Dip in for oysters and a bottle of chenin blanc; dig in deeper with steak and Châteauneuf-du-Pape; or pop a bottle or two of champagne and see where the night leads you.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20down. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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