How to pronounce knock
Say it like NOK. Knock is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- NOK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Knock pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NOKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of knock
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: NOK.
What does knock mean?
- An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.
- A sharp impact.“He took a knock on the head.”
- A criticism.
- To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.“Knock on the door and find out if they’re home.”
- To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.
- To criticize verbally; to denigrate; to undervalue.“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”
Where does knock come from?
From Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian, ġecnocian, ġecnucian, cnucian (“to knock, pound on, beat”), from Proto-West Germanic *knokōn, from Proto-Germanic *knukōną (“to knock”), a suffixed form of *knu-, *knew- (“to pound on,
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with knock
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of knock.
Questions about saying knock
How do you pronounce knock?
Say NOK. The American pronunciation is /nɑk/. In British English it is /nɒk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in knock?
Knock is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NOK.
Is knock pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /nɒk/ (NOK).