knockoff
Americannoun
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an act or instance of knocking off.
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an unlicensed copy of something, especially fashion clothing, intended to be sold at a lower price than the original.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of knockoff
First recorded in 1870–75, for an earlier sense; noun use of verb phrase knock off
Explanation
A knockoff is a cheaply made copy of something. You can be pretty sure those Air Jordan sneakers are knockoffs if they only cost you ten dollars. Anything fake that looks almost exactly like the authentic version is a knockoff, from knockoff designer handbags to collectible baseball cards to prescription medication. You can also call these imitation goods counterfeits, like a painting that sells for a million dollars only to be revealed as a Monet knockoff. The goal of those who produce knockoffs is almost always to fool shoppers into thinking they're buying the real thing.
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:
Sounds like something from a knockoff episode of “Black Mirror,” right?
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
“Everyone sends me photos of knockoff ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ dolls from across the border,” Jimenez says laughing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
Yet sales of knockoff versions of weight-loss drugs have persisted due to the loophole that allows personalized versions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Novo said at the time it had concerns about the safety of the knockoff versions, and that Hims & Hers’s marketing of such knockoffs put patient safety at risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
She smelled like knockoff Ivory soap and powdered laundry detergent from a yellow box labeled “Laundry Detergent.”
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
In this way, the government's crackdown on affordable knockoffs threatens to lock many local customers out of the market.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Widely recognised as a global hub for cheap knockoffs of luxury goods, Vietnam is home to some of the biggest fake designer markets in the world.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Conner Ives reached a new level of fame in the fashion world because of his simple logo tee—and the massive amount of knockoffs it inspired.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
And then, Felix goes deep on one of his favorite topics: why knockoffs aren’t so bad.
From Slate ● Feb. 14, 2026
These aren’t the knockoffs like I got at the swap meet either.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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.
