knot 1 of 2

noun

ˈnät How to pronounce knot (audio)
Definition of knotnext
1
as in cluster
a number of things considered as a unit from the summit we could see knots of houses up and down the river valley

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2
as in swelling
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue felt a small knot on the back of his head

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3
as in link
a uniting or binding force or influence their business partnership is strengthened by the knot of personal friendship

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4
as in grouping
a usually small number of persons considered as a unit knots of people were quietly chatting around the meeting hall

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5
as in problem
something that requires thought and skill for resolution the situation involved so many legal knots that we decided to get a lawyer

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knot

2 of 2

verb

as in to tangle
to twist together into a usually confused mass the extension cords were hopelessly knotted together

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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 knot
Noun
Turtlenecks also often tangle my hair into unforgiving knots because of their super-high necklines. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2026 Declining horseshoe crab populations in Delaware Bay have reduced food availability for migrating red knots, contributing to lower survival. — Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
Odom and Hawkins connected again from 14 yards out with 52 seconds left before the intermission to knot the game again at 21. — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026 In knitting, loops from the middle of an entangled yarn are slipped through one another so the yarn holds its position but isn’t knotted together. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for knot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knot
  1. cluster
  2. swelling
  3. link
  4. grouping
  5. problem
  6. tangle
  7. batch
  8. lump
Noun
  • Godfrey proposes a pan-European fleet of orbital bodyguards patrolling clusters of European assets to ward off future Russian attempts to jam or damage the satellites.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The platform allows investors to buy and sell GPU clusters, the units that power AI compute.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cluster
Noun
  • New symptoms of calf swelling, tenderness or redness should raise concerns for possible deep vein thrombosis.
    — Ali Ataya, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease that primarily causes joint swelling, pain and stiffness, may also worsen or develop for the first time during menopause.
    — Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of swelling
Noun
  • Last week, researchers discovered thousands of shareable Muse links that exposed private chat logs and documents, leading Meta to suspend the feature until it could be fixed.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Household demand is the weak link as the property downturn continues to weigh on housing purchases and related durables, Yue said.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of link
Noun
  • On foreign policy, Lula has worked to boost the political influence of countries in the Global South as a founding member of the BRICS group, a grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, China, Russia, India and South Africa.
    — Catherine Osborn, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Martelly’s registration under a new political grouping, Debloke, will place the council under heavy scrutiny.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of grouping
Noun
  • Last month, the Kremlin acknowledged problems with food and medical ​supplies getting into Oleshky, saying its military was working to resolve them.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, the Iran war, inflation and the debt problems are potentially about to get even worse.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of problem
Verb
  • Public aid researchers have said that when caretakers get tangled in paperwork, children can lose coverage.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Patrick, who was injured when his cleats became tangled in TV cords, had to first seek redress through a grievance procedure before being able to pursue a lawsuit.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of tangle
Noun
  • The software also converts Office documents and images into PDFs, with batch processing available for multiple files.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Before striking out on adventure, head to Snake River Roasting Company for a small-batch specialty coffee and hearty breakfast burrito.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of batch
Noun
  • Scallop crudo, a wedge salad piled with jumbo lump crab and sharpened with wasabi dressing, and a lobster roll with saffron coleslaw sit comfortably alongside American classics like a double cheeseburger and fries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While recovering from one of the surgeries, Casino felt a lump.
    — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of lump

Phrases Containing knot

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knolls
knot
knothole
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Cite this Entry

“Knot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knot. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about knot

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