as in sipped
to swallow in liquid form
desperately thirsty, she knocked back an entire glass of water without pausing
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Recent Examples of knocked back
With ghost Rich’s help, the kids sink the dagger into the ground beneath the deadwood, and the Pennywise bird is knocked back onto the ice by a beam of light.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Next door, at the nearly pitch-black bar Nothing Really Matters, a pair of court officers knocked back tomato martinis as a couple got handsy over pilsners a few seats down.
—The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025
Two employees of Kentucky Truck Parts and Service, whose shop is located on the edge of the debris field, told CNN affiliate WLKY they were knocked back by the explosion.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Colts three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and mates knocked back linemen and linebackers.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
For example, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson knocked back one when his calves started cramping at the end of a Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
After 400 that pinnacle drop is the only thing to level you up, and after six months, everyone is getting knocked back down to 200 to do it all over again.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Next door, at the nearly pitch-black bar Nothing Really Matters, a pair of court officers knocked back tomato martinis as a couple got handsy over pilsners a few seats down.
—The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025
Two employees of Kentucky Truck Parts and Service, whose shop is located on the edge of the debris field, told CNN affiliate WLKY they were knocked back by the explosion.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Colts three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and mates knocked back linemen and linebackers.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
For example, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson knocked back one when his calves started cramping at the end of a Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
After 400 that pinnacle drop is the only thing to level you up, and after six months, everyone is getting knocked back down to 200 to do it all over again.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocked back
Verb
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Briana Voss of Long Grove sipped hot chocolate with son Bennett, 11.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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Last year, at a bar, Mary noticed that the same friend had hardly sipped her drink.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this month, a newborn baby died from a listeria infection in New Mexico after the infant’s mother drank raw milk, and officials there are warning people off those products while the death is being investigated.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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In the early 2000s, there was a viral gossip report that Thornton and the Tomb Raider star drank each other’s blood.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alarms go off, phones come out, coffee is gulped down, and before either partner is fully awake, they’re already headed into separate days.—
Mark Travers,
CNBC,
11 Jan. 2026
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So the 46,000 at the Stadium of Light gulped again.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knocked back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocked%20back. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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