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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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
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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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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
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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
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Recent Examples of knock
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
One new tax, one new rule, one new fee could knock these smaller companies out.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
The biggest knock on Daniels entering the NFL from LSU was how would his body hold up for a skinny guy who is not afraid to run the ball a lot.
—Mark Kern, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knock
Verb
Considering that, the researchers argue the world's space agencies wouldn't be able to pull off a reconnaissance mission to gather data, and then manufacture a spacecraft in time with the specifications needed to successfully crash into and knock the asteroid off its current trajectory.
—Noun
In February 2019, just days before their son’s 3rd birthday, Porter got a knock on her parents’ door, breaking the news that Rosa had died by suicide.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock
Verb
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At Penn State, though, some of the key figures involved have been bumping heads for years.—
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In older games, that meant randomly cutting to a combat screen when bumping into an invisible creature, but newer ones like 2022’s Scarlet and Violet let users see Pokémon out in the wild.—
Verb
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The newer versions can hit stationary and moving targets at sea.—
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His termination notice came just over a week after reporting he had been hit by a car while on duty.—
Verb
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But historically, voters have blamed the party in power for a government shutdown.—
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Dohn Community High School closed in early 2025, and school officials have blamed Davenport for its abrupt collapse.—
Noun
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The Ravens have gotten off to a 1-3 start in a season for the first time since 2015, delivering an early blow to the team’s Super Bowl ambitions.—
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Then came the biggest blow with Gavi’s torn meniscus.—
Noun
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Cincinnati was in jeopardy of a three-game sweep, but Marte's catch and his RBI single in the fifth inning helped the Reds avoid that misfortune.—
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Finally, there is Edward (Louis Partridge), the youngest brother, who has followed dutifully in Benjamin’s footsteps and has his own unique ideas, but has the sole misfortune of his birth order.—
Noun
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Seeking an explanation for this unexpected setback, Army Special Operations reached out in 2021 to my lab at Ohio State University.—
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Four senior players were ruled out with significant physical setbacks last week.—
Verb
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And no need to worry about cookies sticking to the baking sheet or having to bang the muffin tin against the counter to pop them out.—
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In a trial that began Wednesday, six Cubans, including independent journalist José Gabriel Barrenechea, also face sentences of up to nine years in prison for staging a cacerolazo protest, banging pots and pans during a blackout in the Villa Clara province in November 2024.—
Verb
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Your husband overreacted and disrespected you, slapping food and mocking you.—
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The jewelry, vases and handbags were frozen in time, with odd shapes here and there as if the wind had slapped them into existence.—
Cite this Entry
“Knock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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