1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knocking
And take the Exit Readiness Quiz to understand exactly where the gaps are before any business buyer comes knocking.
—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—
Nc Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2026
That meant knocking on doors, cold-calling potential sellers, and stretching his hours to serve clients in different time zones.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Solve puzzles by knocking stuff over, meowing at bots, and hacking terminals with a drone backpack buddy.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.
—
Anita Chabria,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
After knocking the trash can down, the bear easily shoved its arms inside.
—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Entirely by chance, Hawkes ended up knocking on the door of a Marshallese family in Arkansas.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
24 June 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani leads the NL in votes received, which would give him the automatic starting spot at DH should that lead hold into Thursday, knocking Schmitt out of contention.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
—
Nc Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2026
That meant knocking on doors, cold-calling potential sellers, and stretching his hours to serve clients in different time zones.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Solve puzzles by knocking stuff over, meowing at bots, and hacking terminals with a drone backpack buddy.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.
—
Anita Chabria,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
After knocking the trash can down, the bear easily shoved its arms inside.
—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Entirely by chance, Hawkes ended up knocking on the door of a Marshallese family in Arkansas.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
24 June 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani leads the NL in votes received, which would give him the automatic starting spot at DH should that lead hold into Thursday, knocking Schmitt out of contention.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking
Verb
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In this case, safe meant a track big enough for two riders to race without bumping into each other.
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Hurd was seen fist-bumping another attacker moments after deputies intervened, Madden Ragland said.
Verb
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Leveraged ETFs that aim to amplify SpaceX’s performance by providing double the returns (or losses) are already hitting the market.
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Ahead of the impending heat wave hitting the Pittsburgh area, Allegheny County officials have activated a Code Red Heat Advisory for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Verb
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It should be noted that this is not about blaming medication or the people who rely on it.
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The victim's mother also addressed the jury, blaming Rullan for her son's depression and anxiety and describing the emotional toll the abuse had taken on their family.
Verb
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An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks.
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Also in 2007, Spencer was sentenced concurrently to seven years in prison for choking a woman, slamming her head to the ground, and robbing her of her cellphone, and for smashing into a woman's car and ransacking it, prosecutors said.
Verb
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Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
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As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.
Verb
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Acknowledging and even criticizing our mistakes of the past doesn’t cheapen one’s love for the United States.
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The movie continues its tradition of addressing social issues, this time focusing on human equality and colonial looting, with pointed dialogue criticizing the British Empire.
Verb
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The Atlas Lions made the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, breaking through the glass ceiling that CAF teams had been banging their heads on for decades at the quarter-final stage.
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While the cameras were rolling, Spielberg would stand just out of frame with two wooden bats, banging them together to startle her.
Verb
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There was briefly some concern earlier this year that Chestnut wouldn’t be able to participate in the 2026 competition after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a man in an Indiana bar.
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Chestnut competed in the event while serving a 180-day probation sentence after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from drunkenly slapping a man in an Indiana bar earlier this year.
Cite this Entry
“Knocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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