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
-
And in all of those areas, Ober, who was rocked for 30 runs in 30 innings pitched in June before going on the injured list, was pleased.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Aug. 2025
-
All three have big-league experience and have pitched in the majors this season.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Acknowledging mistakes and reversing course rather than digging in is a mark of true leadership.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
24 July 2025
-
Voters are pretty dug in on Trump-Russia one way or the other by now.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20down. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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