kneel

verb

knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 It’s known from depictions on tombs that scribes often sat, knelt, or stood while working away at their tablets. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024 Singletary could have rushed for another score late in the fourth quarter, but went down at the Cleveland 1-yard line so his team could kneel out the clock. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for kneel 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of kneel was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near kneel

Cite this Entry

“Kneel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kneel. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

kneel

verb
knelt ˈnelt How to pronounce kneel (audio) or kneeled
ˈnē(ə)ld
; kneeling
: to bend the knee : support oneself on the knees
kneeler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on kneel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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