knead
Americanverb (used with object)
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kneads,
present (3rd person singular)
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kneaded,
past participle, past
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kneading
present participle
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to work (dough, clay, etc.) into a uniform mixture by pressing, folding, and stretching.
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to manipulate by similar movements, as the body in a massage.
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to make by kneading.
to knead bread.
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to make kneading movements with.
She kneaded her fist into her palm.
verb
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to work and press (a soft substance, such as bread dough) into a uniform mixture with the hands
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to squeeze, massage, or press with the hands
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to make by kneading
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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kneadabilitynoun
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kneadernoun
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rekneadverb (used with object)
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kneadableadjective
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unkneadedadjective
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kneadinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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kneadsimple
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kneadssimple
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have kneadedperfect
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has kneadedperfect
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am kneadingprogressive
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are kneadingprogressive
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is kneadingprogressive
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have been kneadingperfect progressive
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has been kneadingperfect progressive
Past
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kneadedsimple
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had kneadedperfect
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was kneadingprogressive
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were kneadingprogressive
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had been kneadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of knead
before 950; Middle English kneden, Old English cnedan; cognate with German kneten, Dutch kneden
Explanation
To knead is to massage, as you might knead a sore muscle to relieve the pain or knead bread dough before baking it. Knead, pronounced “need,” comes from Old English, and its meaning has changed little over time. Knead is sometimes used to describe a cat’s behavior of repeatedly pushing its paws (and claws) into soft surfaces — almost like it’s kneading dough. We’re pretty sure cats did the same thing long ago when folks spoke Old English, but there’s no word on whether knead was used to describe this behavior back then.
Vocabulary lists containing knead
Stairway To Leaven: Baking Vocabulary
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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Though its smell is hardly appetizing, the cloth is surrounded by a group of women, each with her hands on the folds to knead, slap, punch and beat the cloth into shape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Workers don't like to wake up early to knead dough by hand, Mr Hur says softly.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2025
Remove, punch down, and knead a few times before dividing in half to form two loafs.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2024
When the batter has formed into a cohesive ball, turn it onto the floured work surface and knead the dough for two minutes.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 12, 2023
Peter remembered his knuckles drifting down as he read his history text to knead the fur between his pet’s shoulder blades.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
This uneven motion effectively kneads the molten rock and helps generate bubbles.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 22, 2025
He kneads pizza dough before cranking out several dozen tortillas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2025
As she kneads a ball of rice with her hands, mixing it with the lentils and spinach before feeding it to one of her children, she explains that even buying bread is a struggle.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2022
Ms. Marzovilla kneads the flour into long, slender tubes of maccheroncini, then pits their bread-crust flavor against sweet peas and tender strands of duck confit.
From New York Times ● May 17, 2022
He kneads the palm of his hand into his eye, clumsily wiping away tears.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
In a truck parked in the Kyiv region, Loic Nervi kneaded the dough vigorously before sliding dozens of tins into the oven -- loaves that will later be handed out to Ukrainians.
From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026
I’d selected gentle intensity, so Aescape kneaded slowly and deliberately around my scapula at first, then applied light rolling pressure along my spine, mid-back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2024
This is then cooked in a giant pot and slowly kneaded with a wooden stick until it thickens.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2024
A toasted rice aroma hangs around the factory line, where rice is combined with small plastic beads, heated and kneaded before being extruded in thin rods that are cooled and cut into tiny brown pellets.
From Reuters ● Mar. 9, 2023
She gave me a bowl of bread dough that had risen and was ready to be kneaded down.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
There are close-ups of hands kneading dough, a snail sliming its way up a window and Cathy prodding a jellied fish with her finger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
Today, naan is made by combing flour, yogurt and yeast and kneading them into a soft dough.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025
"You repurpose existing skills -- using an oven, measuring ingredients, kneading dough -- and combine them with new ones, like whipping batter and making frosting, to create something entirely different."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2025
While the crossings remain closed, life has regained a semblance of normality, with bakers kneading bread, fruit and vegetable sellers wheeling out their carts, and customers frequenting shops.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2025
When we’re done kneading flour, water, and yogurt into a smooth ball, Mrs. Hameed gives each team sliced garlic, spices, and fresh coriander.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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