1
as in bumps
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hits
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 blames
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
hey, don't knock it until you've tried it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the door a good knock
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in misfortunes
bad luck or an example of this
getting his college degree was a six year adventure not without its share of knocks along the way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in setbacks
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the geneticist's reputation took a knock when several of his peers were unable to confirm his research findings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of knocks
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
This knocks Europe out in a single shot.
—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
The two butt heads and Woody knocks Buzz out of a window, turning the other toys against the vintage cowboy.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Enough sunshine on Sunday should push temperatures back into the low 90s before a cooler breeze knocks us back to normal on Monday.
—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.
—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
He wasn’t invited to the combine this winter and drew knocks from some evaluators for his lack of length and his inconsistency as a pass rusher.
—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Temperatures will be near 81 degrees on Monday, and then turn cooler on Tuesday through Thursday after a cold front knocks them back into the mid- to upper 60s.
—
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
Trusty, after all, has also felt the knocks professional sport can deliver.
—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
But a leg injury in preseason and other knocks have kept him out of the lineup.
—
Michelle Kaufman
may 12,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
The four hits the Tigers managed against Gray proved their only knocks of the night.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
The exterior Forged from anodized aluminum, this is Carl Friedrik's most hard-wearing cabin case yet, with new steel rivets adding extra protection against knocks and bumps to complement the robust aluminum frame.
—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Four Royals singled in succession — led by Collins and Kyle Isbel’s run-producing knocks.
—
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Many owners told Bridge they were approached by knocks on the door and verbal offers.
—
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Management staff opened the apartment door after police received no response to their knocks.
—
Brian Smith,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
From conveyor belts and baggage carts to overhead bins and taxi trunks, luggage is constantly subjected to bumps, knocks and rough handling.
—
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
This knocks Europe out in a single shot.
—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
The two butt heads and Woody knocks Buzz out of a window, turning the other toys against the vintage cowboy.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Enough sunshine on Sunday should push temperatures back into the low 90s before a cooler breeze knocks us back to normal on Monday.
—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.
—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
He wasn’t invited to the combine this winter and drew knocks from some evaluators for his lack of length and his inconsistency as a pass rusher.
—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Temperatures will be near 81 degrees on Monday, and then turn cooler on Tuesday through Thursday after a cold front knocks them back into the mid- to upper 60s.
—
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Noun
Bouts of illness and small knocks to players such as rookie Gabriela Jaquez have forced the Sky to sign emergency replacement players and lean heavily on development players such as Aicha Coulibaly, who already has used up half of her eligible games for the Sky.
—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
Trusty, after all, has also felt the knocks professional sport can deliver.
—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
But a leg injury in preseason and other knocks have kept him out of the lineup.
—
Michelle Kaufman
may 12,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
The four hits the Tigers managed against Gray proved their only knocks of the night.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
The exterior Forged from anodized aluminum, this is Carl Friedrik's most hard-wearing cabin case yet, with new steel rivets adding extra protection against knocks and bumps to complement the robust aluminum frame.
—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Four Royals singled in succession — led by Collins and Kyle Isbel’s run-producing knocks.
—
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Many owners told Bridge they were approached by knocks on the door and verbal offers.
—
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Management staff opened the apartment door after police received no response to their knocks.
—
Brian Smith,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knocks
Verb
-
Did join Kylian Mbappe and Ferenc Puskas as one of only three players to score a European Cup knockout-phase brace against Barcelona at Camp Nou, which bumps him up the list a bit.
-
The department bumps the call to a higher-priority response (Priority 1) due to the potential for violence.
Verb
-
Of course, the movie had to contend with the beloved Toy Story 5, and the staying power of recent horror hits like Obsession and Backrooms, so that at least explains it.
-
For a good deal on a budget gaming laptop, this 35% discount on the Asus TUF 16 hits the sweet spot.
Verb
-
The nonprofit blames the lack of progress on government red tape and diminishing federal funding to provide subsidies and incentives.
-
Industry, like tobacco companies, turns a blind eye to the problem, continues its mass production to achieve maximum profit and blames the consumer for bad choices.
Noun
-
Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
-
Despite the blows to Eurovision’s finances and viewership from the boycott, the contest is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.
Noun
-
Jessie blames technology for toy misfortunes, getting angry at all forms of technology, even those already discarded.
-
Repairing Furniture There are few misfortunes greater than scratching a new piece of dark wood furniture.
Noun
-
The fair has already seen a series of setbacks that include cancellations from artists on the lineup, sparse crowds, electricity issues and even melted ice cream.
-
But for many of the organization’s other pitching prospects in recent seasons, injury setbacks have been especially difficult to overcome.
Verb
-
Taylor Sheridan slams critics Sheridan's series are all hits with regular people, but he's routinely been a target for critics.
-
His hand fans out into a wave, then the door slams shut.
Verb
-
Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.
-
That direct relationship is what separates a true farm to table operation from a restaurant that simply slaps the phrase on a marketing page.
Cite this Entry
“Knocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knocks. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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