KNOCKING Synonyms: 213 Similar and Opposite Words

knocking

verb

present participle of knock

as in bumping

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hitting

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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as in blaming

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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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 knocking Elarms-Orr didn’t think Kincaid was down and laid a sizable hit on the tight end, knocking him to the ground again. — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Wahab said she’s been hard at work on the campaign trail hosting town hall discussions, knocking door-to-door and meeting constituents in the district. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 As soon as the credits came up, every show, there’d be people knocking on the door. — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 Snap a few photos before your guide for the day, Clint Holland, comes knocking. — Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Cooper was accused of sending 20 messages and making two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend before going to her apartment and knocking on her door, according to the arrest affidavit. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 That test is now a distant memory; HWM has since pushed to new highs on this timeframe and is knocking on $300. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 27 July 2026 The surveillance footage released by police in 2012 from the night before the murder showed a person in a hoodie and baggy pants walking up the stairs outside Chavez’s apartment and knocking on the door. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking

Verb

Traveling down conveyor belts, bumping around on baggage carts and in cargo holds, suitcases quickly pick up scuffs that can be hard to remove.

— Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026
And for everyone in the F1 paddock, there is now additional clarity on plans for the second half of the season heading into the summer break, while bumping the calendar back up to a provisional 23 races.

— Luke Smith, New York Times, 26 July 2026

Definition of bumping

Verb

The 27-year-old Adell has 16 homers and 62 RBIs this season, one year after hitting a career-best 37 homers with 98 RBIs.

— David Brandt, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Across Europe, other historic objects have also been revealed this summer due to the record-breaking heat and crippling droughts hitting the continent’s waterways.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a report blaming the Eaton Fire on electrical arcing events that took place on an out-of-service Southern California Edison (SCE) tower.

— Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Jeanine Pirro after her office moves to drop vandalism charges over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blaming faulty construction instead.

— Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of blaming

Verb

But according to rocket scientists at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), slamming a nuclear warhead directly into the side of a space rock is a rookie mistake.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Charlotte faced off with Lash Legend, and Lash got the better of Charlotte by slamming her on a ladder.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

Jumping into the air, doing the splits, screaming at the top of his lungs, smacking the ground.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

After the match, British politicians and fans took to social media to vent their anger, helping amplify a wave of online posts criticizing both Argentina and its national team, digital researchers said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Rather than responding to detailed questions for this story, Sarnecki issued a statement criticizing wasteful government spending.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026