knelt
ˈnelt 
or kneeled; kneeling
or kneeled; kneeling
: to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor
The prisoners were ordered to kneel.
: to fall or rest on the knees
She kneeled on the floor next to the child.
Examples of kneel in a Sentence
She was kneeling on the floor beside her child.
He was kneeling in front of the altar and praying.
Recent Examples on the Web
The episode took place just a few miles from where George Floyd was killed by a city police officer kneeling on his neck in 2020.
—
Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Eventually, though, after the Falcons recovered an onside kick successfully and knelt the rest of the way en route to a 19-17 victory, the family busied themselves jumping up and down, screaming for joy.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
My enduring memory from that summer is a photo of a man kneeling along a long raft of oil that had just washed ashore, his hand across part of his face to hide his tears.
—Christian Wagley, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Afterward, father and son knelt together backstage.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kneel
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.
Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Eventually, though, after the Falcons recovered an onside kick successfully and knelt the rest of the way en route to a 19-17 victory, the family busied themselves jumping up and down, screaming for joy.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
My enduring memory from that summer is a photo of a man kneeling along a long raft of oil that had just washed ashore, his hand across part of his face to hide his tears.
—Christian Wagley, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Afterward, father and son knelt together backstage.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kneel
Cite this Entry
“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share