Synonyms

technical knockout

American

noun

Boxing.

the termination of a bout by the referee when it is the judgment of the attending physician, a boxer's seconds, or the referee that a boxer cannot continue fighting without sustaining severe or disabling injury. TKO, T.K.O.

technical knockout British

noun

boxing a judgment of a knockout given when a boxer is in the referee's opinion too badly beaten to continue without risk of serious injury

"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

Etymology

Origin of technical knockout

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

It will be the American's first professional fight since beating mixed martial arts fight Conor McGregor with a 10th-round technical knockout in 2017.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Also on the main card, rising Frenchman Benoit Saint Denis pummelled New Zealand's Dan Hooker with a second round technical knockout in the lightweight.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

McGregor’s only bout as a professional boxer came in 2017, when he lost to one of the legends of the sport, Floyd Mayweather Jr., by technical knockout in the 10th round.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

In approving terms for fights, the department’s combative sports staff considers, among other factors, each contestant’s age, medical tests, win-loss record and losses by knockout or technical knockout.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024

"For the first year, I'm not the main event," comments Rivera, who scored a technical knockout over his opponent in 1978.

From 100 New Yorkers of the 1970s by Millard, Max

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