knock 1 of 2

verb

ˈnäk How to pronounce knock (audio)
Definition of knocknext
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

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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

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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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knock

2 of 2

noun

1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument gave the door a good knock

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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

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of knock
Verb
The officer was knocked unconscious and rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 This precise model embodies what an Italian supercar should be, and Ferrari has completely knocked it out of the park with the 296 Speciale Aperta. — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Swede will now undergo tests to learn the extent of his knock. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Choose authentic midcentury modern furniture rather than contemporary knock-offs whenever possible. — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for knock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
  1. bump
  2. hit
  3. blame
  4. blow
  5. misfortune
  6. setback
  7. bang
  8. slap
Verb
  • To squeeze Cabrera into the rotation on Sunday, the Cubs bumped David Peterson to the bullpen for the time being and optioned Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The second is another factor limited by the iPhone… the MacBook Neo 2 is expected to bump memory up to 12 GB.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • That was a new record and only once before has the number of moves hit double figures.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bryce Eldridge hit his 12th home run, an impressive opposite-field shot.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • But blaming the technology risks obscuring the fact that humans write the code, select the data on which AI systems are trained, approve their use, and decide where and how they are deployed.
    — Shaun Harper, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Many adults who struggle with food or body image blame the role models who were dieting during their childhood.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of blame
Noun
  • The breach is the latest blow to a struggling small city that has faced years of severe budget deficits, pushing it to the brink of insolvency, as well as chronic understaffing in its police, fire and other municipal departments.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • That would be a heavy blow for an economy growing at less than 1% a year.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • But the fire this time was started by a son, which led to raging misfortunes that consumed his three brothers one by one, leaving only ashen memories for his surviving sister and aged parents to sift through.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
  • He was criticized for outing LGBTQ+ stars who hadn’t revealed their sexuality publicly, and for bullying others by mocking their misfortune.
    — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of misfortune
Noun
  • For King, this wasn’t her big return from suffering a cardiac event, which happened earlier this spring, but a return from a second unexpected setback — the 21-year-old broke her foot in April and required surgery.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The incident was due to an engineering failure aboard the warship, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement to CNN, another setback as concerns mount over the heavy strain on the US Navy due to the Iran war and global commitments.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of setback
Verb
  • That looked like all Boise would need until Madison’s Aaron Edwards banged home a world-class equalizer in the 83rd minute, firing a shot from the left edge of the box and tucking it inside the right post.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Where grass grows right up to a tree’s trunk, the lawnmower will inevitably follow, banging and chipping the bark or scalping bark off roots that are exposed above the soil.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang
Verb
  • In response, Smith, 57, approached Rock on the Oscars stage and slapped him across the face.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Section 301 has also opened the door to new country-specific tariffs targeted at Brazil, at 25%, while Section 338 was cited to slap an extra 50% import tax on certain Canadian goods.
    — Kent Jones, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of slap

Phrases Containing knock

Browse Nearby Words

knobs
knock
knock (about)
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Cite this Entry

“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on knock

Nglish: Translation of knock for Spanish Speakers

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