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Synonyms

knock back

British  

verb

  1. informal to drink, esp quickly

  2. informal to cost

  3. slang to reject or refuse

    you cannot possibly knock back such an offer

  4. slang to come as an unpleasant surprise to; disconcert

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. slang a refusal or rejection

  2. slang:prison failure to obtain parole

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
knock back Idioms  

  1. Also, knock it back. Gulp down an alcoholic beverage, as in He knocked back glass after glass of wine, or I hear you've been knocking it back a bit. [First half of 1900s]

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.

He also appeared to knock back a suggestion floated by the EU's defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius earlier this month for a possible European defence force that could replace US troops on the continent.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson labelled them "arrogant", which Stokes was right to knock back.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025

On TikTok, olive oil fans knock back shots of the liquid, saying it clears their skin and helps them lose weight.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 6, 2023

That will likely knock back the country's gross domestic product - initially predicted by officials to grow 4% in 2022, he added.

From Reuters • Oct. 7, 2022

When Zu reached over to knock back the hood of the girl’s “Virginia Is for Lovers” sweatshirt, she revealed a long, glossy black braid.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.