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Definition of kneel

kneel

/niːl/
kneel
Past Simple:knelt
•
Past Participle:knelt
•
Present Participle:kneeling
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kneel Lexical Profile

kneel Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To go down into, or remain in, a position where one or both knees are resting on the ground, often as a gesture of reverence, submission, or practical reach.

Example

"The gardener had to kneel on a foam pad to plant the delicate seedlings along the border."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for kneel
Antonyms
View all antonyms for kneel

Word Nuance & Usage

Both "knelt" and "kneeled" are standard past tense and past participle forms; "knelt" is generally preferred in British English and formal American writing, though both are widely accepted.

• Rhymes for kneel

• Nearby Words

kneecap
kneeholly
kneejerk
kneel
kneeler
kneepad
kneeroom

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English cneowlian, a verb derived from cneow (meaning "knee"), with cognates in Dutch knielen and Middle Low German knelen.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kneel. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 3, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kneel
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