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
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
Blizzard-like conditions whipped into Connecticut overnight Sunday into Monday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in the state, clogging roads, closing schools and generally creating other misery.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
In his defense, Barnett took the stand to say there was no murder plot and that Thomas extorted him for the money using physical violence – knocking out his teeth, injured his left shoulder, and smacking his private parts.
—Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
In July 2024, an outage with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike plunged the country and beyond into chaos, knocking out services at airports, hospitals, grocery stores and more.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Microsoft’s Azure cloud network faced a major disruption Wednesday, knocking out access to popular platforms including Office 365, Minecraft, and Xbox Live.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
In May, a tree fell, knocking out the B&B’s power.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
In 2018, after knocking out the Yankees in the ALDS, the Red Sox blasted the tune.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Blizzard-like conditions whipped into Connecticut overnight Sunday into Monday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in the state, clogging roads, closing schools and generally creating other misery.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
In his defense, Barnett took the stand to say there was no murder plot and that Thomas extorted him for the money using physical violence – knocking out his teeth, injured his left shoulder, and smacking his private parts.
—Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
In July 2024, an outage with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike plunged the country and beyond into chaos, knocking out services at airports, hospitals, grocery stores and more.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Microsoft’s Azure cloud network faced a major disruption Wednesday, knocking out access to popular platforms including Office 365, Minecraft, and Xbox Live.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
In May, a tree fell, knocking out the B&B’s power.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
In 2018, after knocking out the Yankees in the ALDS, the Red Sox blasted the tune.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocking out
Verb
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There were plenty of fans wearing Frost and Sirens jerseys, but some of the other six teams in the league as well.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
When officers arrived, two men approached them wearing masks and gloves, carrying at least one gun.—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Basij were the entity linked to the crackdown on nationwide civilian protests in late December and early January, allegedly killing thousands.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Two sport utility vehicles slammed into each other on Saturday night in Cooke County when the driver of one passed a third vehicle, killing a couple and their young son, authorities said.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 16,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Groups usually switch out the lead skier often to avoid exhausting one person.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As these components segregate over generations, the gene drive becomes less functional, strategy that has been described as a means of developing self-exhausting gene drives that limit geographic distribution.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
-
This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Families are aging, caregivers are burning out, and too many people are forced into crisis placements or inappropriate settings because suitable housing options simply do not exist.—
Fay Lenz,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
-
This approach is gaining traction across sales, partnerships, and customer success teams, where professionals face constant pressure to be responsive without burning out.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These vape devices aren’t failing or wearing out.—
Ryan Brennan
March 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
At the same time, Brockett emphasizes, producers are cognizant of not wearing out their welcome with viewers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
26 Feb. 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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Tatum assisted on Boston’s first two baskets — a cutting and-one layup by Neemias Queta and a White 3-pointer off a Queta steal — then scored the next two, finishing at the rim against Oso Ighodaro and draining a second-chance three.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
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Containers can dry out quickly due to quickly draining soil and exposure to warmer above-ground temperatures.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knocking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocking%20out. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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