1
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something
my knee knocked against the table leg when I tried to get up quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
threatened to knock him upside the head if he didn't do as he was told
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to blame
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
hey, don't knock it until you've tried it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the door a good knock
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
getting his college degree was a six year adventure not without its share of knocks along the way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in setback
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the geneticist's reputation took a knock when several of his peers were unable to confirm his research findings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knock
Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025
Sherri Shepherd couldn’t help but knock the castle headpiece that Jaden Smith wore to the 2025 Grammy Awards last night.
—EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Ricky’s poor mother has hardly slept a wink in 15 years, ever since that fateful knock at the door, and despite her stone-cold front, Joanne, an old friend of the Smiths, is actually doing her best to keep Ricky on the straight and narrow.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for knock 
Verb
Philadelphia nearly knocked Kansas City off the first time the two teams met in the Super Bowl.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025
Sherri Shepherd couldn’t help but knock the castle headpiece that Jaden Smith wore to the 2025 Grammy Awards last night.
—EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
In mid-December, confirmation that Lamine Yamal had succumbed to a right ankle knock picked up in the Champions League was a hammer blow for head coach Hansi Flick and his men.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Ricky’s poor mother has hardly slept a wink in 15 years, ever since that fateful knock at the door, and despite her stone-cold front, Joanne, an old friend of the Smiths, is actually doing her best to keep Ricky on the straight and narrow.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Verb
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Once that weight feels easy, level up again…but make each bump gradual.—
Christa Sgobba,
SELF,
11 Feb. 2025
-
McGee’s not sure what classified info the Pentagon is bumping on, but the possible topics include the robot dolphins, the moon base, the counterfeit Cialis, the flesh-eating virus, or the Icelandic archer.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Bellinger has pulled the ball at a 45% clip throughout his career, and he’s hit flyballs 44.3% of the time.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2025
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Solo Ball, the only UConn player to make a 3-pointer until McNeeley hit one with five minutes to go, finished with 13 points and a team-best six assists.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the wake of the extreme wildfires that destroyed more than 12,000 homes and buildings, some are blaming the destruction squarely on that.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2025
-
That, after all, would open up these politicians to scrutiny and blame if the wars didn’t go well.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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However, this is a huge win for City and a devastating blow for England’s top flight.—
Dan Sheldon,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
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Or Levy, 34, was dealt a similar blow upon being freed.—
Tia Goldenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Malen’s misfortune, Villa explain, simply came down to signing too many players in the winter window.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Her work follows women in the midst of little misfortunes causing big emotional impacts.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Analysts told Sourcing Journal that the setbacks have been largely because of investments in logistics and growth for their respective Q-commerce arms.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Already without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the latest setback could be the final straw for Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes.—
Jordan Campbell,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Kindt was arrested on a domestic assault charge after he was accused of banging Hagen’s head on a night stand and pushing her against several pieces of furniture.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2025
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Several times during our interview, one of us had to speak up to be heard over the clanging of this or banging of that.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In 2018, after the first Trump administration slapped tariffs on various goods, Fed economists devised simulations on the appropriate path for monetary policy based on different tariff scenarios.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN,
7 Feb. 2025
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Hostility remained between the pair in the years that followed, bubbling up on instances such as in 2017, when 50 Cent threatened to slap Gotti in response to the latter's interview on The Breakfast Club.—
Chris Barilla,
People.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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