kneel

verb

ˈnēl 

knelt ˈnelt  or kneeled; kneeling

intransitive verb

: to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor

The prisoners were ordered to kneel.

: to fall or rest on the knees

She kneeled on the floor next to the child.

Examples of kneel in a Sentence

She was kneeling on the floor beside her child.

He was kneeling in front of the altar and praying.

Recent Examples on the Web

Improve your listening skills by getting on your child's level—this may mean kneeling down to meet their eye line. —Katherine Lewis, Parents, 4 Nov. 2024

Buffalo knelt the ball to play out the rest of the clock and the game was over. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 15 Oct. 2024

In the cover shot, Kylie kneeled on the sandy beach, holding baby Eliotte in her arms while Wyatt sat on the floor in front of her. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024

White is kneeling at Worcester's head, while King is on or next to his legs and also moves around to kneel or stand beside his torso. —Penny Weaver, arkansasonline.com, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knelen, from Old English cnēowlian; akin to Old English cnēow knee

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kneel

verb

ˈnē(ə)l 

knelt ˈnelt  or kneeled

ˈnē(ə)ld

; kneeling

: to bend the knee : support oneself on the knees

kneeler noun