KNOCK-DOWN, DRAG-OUT Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

knock-down, drag-out

adjective

ˈnäk-ˌdauṅ-ˈdrag-ˌau̇t

variants or knock-down-and-drag-out

as in violent

marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity the football game was a knock-down, drag-out battle between bitter rivals

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of knock-down, drag-out But rather than a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish, this series is all about empowerment. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2022 The meeting of a pair of programs on the rise was a knock-down, drag-out affair that appeared to have no end in sight. — Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025 As much as the streaming wars can feel like a knock-down, drag-out fight, Amazon can spend time on the ropes because streaming isn’t its core business. — Angela Watercutter, Wired, 18 Mar. 2022 This was a knock-down, drag-out fight — the kind of match that would make for excellent watching when Marvel Snap tournaments are up and running. — Ash Parrish, The Verge, 31 Jan. 2023 What follows is a knock-down, drag-out brawl reminiscent of Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler. — Lynette Rice, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024 But its industry titans are also locked in a knock-down, drag-out fight for market share, with brutal price wars and competition in a crowded home market deflating profits and stymieing growth. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 2 May 2026 That means the knock-down, drag-out government shutdown battles that have become a Washington ritual are, in effect, a fight over a little more than a quarter of the federal ledger. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026 Last week’s knock-down, drag-out fight could just be the first of many this session as GOP lawmakers grapple with government spending, the debt ceiling and the situation at the border. — Dallas News, 10 Jan. 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock-down, drag-out

Adjective

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe.

— Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 July 2026

Definition of violent

Adjective

Known for his command of ferocious demon-quelling deities, Zhenwu remains a popular deity in Daoist exorcist rituals in places such as Taiwan.

— Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
That’s because a parasite called Cyclospora, which can contaminate raw produce and causes ferocious and long-lasting bouts of diarrheal illness, is making people sick across several states.

— Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Definition of ferocious

Adjective

The Kang Kon was unveiled a month after the Choe Hyon in May 2025, but it was damaged during a botched launch at the northern port of Chongjin, prompting a furious response from Kim.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Definition of furious

Adjective

Weaker global markets, which have impacted tech stock valuations, and the turbulent performance of SpaceX’s recent massive IPO were among the top concerns cited by insiders who have made the case that patience is a virtue.

— John Kell, Fortune, 1 July 2026
His confirmation closes one of the most turbulent presidential searches in UF history.

— Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Definition of turbulent

Adjective

Mariana is not pleased to hear this, and he's got some rough-looking dudes with him.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Dual suspension helps smooth rough trails, hydraulic disc brakes provide dependable stopping power in changing conditions, and four-inch fat tires improve traction across gravel, dirt, sand, and pavement.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026

Definition of rough

Adjective

Captain Ahab is, of course, the volcanic figure who transforms the Pequod’s voyage into something truly rich and strange.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Schrodinger basin, a large impact crater near the moon’s south pole, shows evidence of geologically recent volcanic activity.

— Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026

Definition of volcanic

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knockdown

knock-down, drag-out

knockdowns

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“Knock-down, drag-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock-down%2C%20drag-out. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of knock-down, drag-out

adjective

Example Sentences

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