as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the entire staff knocked itself out getting the project finished on time
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Recent Examples of knocking out
Communities across the Upper Midwest are cleaning up after tornadoes and severe weather impacted the region over the weekend, damaging and destroying dozens of homes and knocking out power for tens of thousands.
—
Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
The two teams avoided each other last postseason, with the Oklahoma City Thunder knocking out the Nuggets on their way to the Western Conference finals.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Strong winds capable of knocking out power and damaging or even uprooting trees are also possible as the storms blast eastward into the evening across Michigan and northern parts of Ohio and Indiana.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
Within minutes, a dark brew of sewage, industrial waste, and stormwater was rising through basements and businesses, hospitals and the central rail station, knocking out power and causing a billion dollars in damage.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Later in the decade, the Air Force deployed the more advanced BLU-114/B during the NATO bombing in the Balkans, knocking out more than 70% of Serbia’s national grid in a single night and plunging the country into darkness.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Geekom is one of the most consistent companies in the micro PC market, reliably knocking out little rectangles packed with processing power at ultra-low prices.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Police say that when the friend refused, Rosas punched him in the face, knocking out his tooth, and commandeered the car.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Lake Howell beat rival Oviedo, then the region’s top-seed, Mainland, before knocking out the 2025 region champ, Tocoi Creek, in an 82-77 double-overtime game.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
The two teams avoided each other last postseason, with the Oklahoma City Thunder knocking out the Nuggets on their way to the Western Conference finals.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Strong winds capable of knocking out power and damaging or even uprooting trees are also possible as the storms blast eastward into the evening across Michigan and northern parts of Ohio and Indiana.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
Within minutes, a dark brew of sewage, industrial waste, and stormwater was rising through basements and businesses, hospitals and the central rail station, knocking out power and causing a billion dollars in damage.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Later in the decade, the Air Force deployed the more advanced BLU-114/B during the NATO bombing in the Balkans, knocking out more than 70% of Serbia’s national grid in a single night and plunging the country into darkness.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Geekom is one of the most consistent companies in the micro PC market, reliably knocking out little rectangles packed with processing power at ultra-low prices.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Police say that when the friend refused, Rosas punched him in the face, knocking out his tooth, and commandeered the car.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Lake Howell beat rival Oviedo, then the region’s top-seed, Mainland, before knocking out the 2025 region champ, Tocoi Creek, in an 82-77 double-overtime game.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking out
Verb
-
On her lunch break, mama walks us over to the library still wearing her scrubs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Laneda taught Sunday school, and her sons were Cornerstone ushers, wearing white gloves and delivering a welcome address to visitors at the start of Sunday services.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Is God Is is a story about twin sisters Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), tasked with killing their abusive, absentee father at the request of their mother.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
19 May 2026
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Sliding effortlessly from incisive observer to chaotic flirt to exhausting narcissist, Firstman is never not in on the joke.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
Martinez on Thursday did not discuss details of the plan but said the city was exhausting all its options while seeking more ways to cut costs.—
Abby Church,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These design aspects allow users to operate it for extended periods without tiring or switching between different power outlets.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This helps each step feel lighter and easier, diminishing fatigue and letting the wearer venture out farther without tiring.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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High school coaches cut back on mileage and intensity in response to charges that runners were burning out in their teens.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Keeping it fresh How has a band that’s been together for more than 50 years managed to remain a creative force without burning out, splitting up or devolving into little more than a human jukebox pumping out nostalgia?—
Marc Ballon,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As plastics break down, whether that be through washing polyester clothing or wearing out our tires, microscopic particles of plastic shed, small enough to be picked up and transported by the air.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
7 May 2026
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If a device frequently drops connection and can be fixed with a wiggle, there’s a good chance something is wearing out in the cable.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Andrew Tate is not washing out.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
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Tiny water droplets can scatter light, washing out the vivid reds and oranges.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Plant the cutting in well-draining soil in a 12-inch tall pot that’s about 6 inches wide so the roots have plenty of room to grow.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
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More turbulent water draining from the desert via seasonal drainage channels called wadis might have brought others.—
Geoff Emberling,
The Conversation,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20out. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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