knock back

verb

To stun; to surprise.

“I was knocked back by the sheer size of the hall.”

Similar
set backput back
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Meanings

verbknock back (third-person singular simple present knocks back, present participle knocking back, simple past and past participle knocked back)

present singular third person knocks back · participle present knocking back · participle past knocked back · past knocked back

  1. transitiveTo stun; to surprise.

    I was knocked back by the sheer size of the hall.

  2. transitiveTo drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often; to finish a beverage.

    My friends were already knocking back drinks when I arrived at the bar.

  3. transitiveTo push or strike someone or something backward with force.

    The impact of the collision knocked him back several feet.

  4. transitiveTo withstand or endure a difficult situation or setback.

    Despite facing numerous challenges, she managed to knock them back and keep moving forward.

  5. transitiveTo achieve a significant accomplishment or success.

    Their latest album really knocked it back and received critical acclaim.

  6. AustraliaUKtransitiveTo reject; to refuse.

    How many job seekers did you knock back today?

  7. transitivebakingTo press or knead (dough) so as to remove air bubbles.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbcost a certain amount

Similar
set backput back
Broader
costbe
Also see
put backset back

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Catalan desconcertar
  • desconcertarstun, surprise
Chinese Mandarin 使目瞪口呆, 一飲而盡 /一饮而尽
  • 使目瞪口呆 (shǐ mùdèngkǒudāi)stun, surprise
  • 一飲而盡 /一饮而尽 (yīyǐn'érjìn)drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
  • 猛推後退 /猛推后退 (měng tuī hòutuì)to push backward
  • 克服 (kèfú)to withstand a difficult situation or setback
  • 大獲全勝 /大获全胜 (dàhuòquánshèng)to achieve a significant accomplishment or success
  • 排氣 /排气 (páiqì)press dough to remove air bubbles
Finnish lyödä ällikällä, naukata
  • lyödä ällikällästun, surprise
  • naukatadrink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
  • naukkailladrink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
  • iskeäto push backward
  • paiskatato push backward
  • selviytyäto withstand a difficult situation or setback
  • kestääto withstand a difficult situation or setback
  • onnistua hyvinto achieve a significant accomplishment or success
  • vaivatapress dough to remove air bubbles
French renverser, lever le coude
  • renverserstun, surprise
  • lever le coudedrink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
  • s'envoyer derrière la cravatedrink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
Italian trincare
  • trincaredrink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
Portuguese desconcertar, dar um salto
  • desconcertarstun, surprise
  • dar um saltoto achieve a significant accomplishment or success
Russian ошеломля́ть, ошеломи́ть
  • ошеломля́ть (ošelomljátʹ)stun, surprise
  • ошеломи́ть (ošelomítʹ)stun, surprise
  • огоро́шить (ogoróšitʹ)stun, surprise
  • шоки́ровать (šokírovatʹ)stun, surprise
  • опроки́нуть (oprokínutʹ)drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly
  • опроки́дывать (oprokídyvatʹ)to push backward
  • опроки́нуть (oprokínutʹ)to push backward
Spanish desconcertar, desgasificar
  • desconcertarstun, surprise
  • desgasificarpress dough to remove air bubbles
  • romperpress dough to remove air bubbles
Cite this entry
APA

knock back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20back

MLA

“knock back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20back. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knock back,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20back.

Source: knock back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.