# knock out

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/knock-out
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To strike or render unconscious

## Examples

- The boxer knocked out his opponent in the first round.
- A falling branch knocked out the power line, leaving the whole street in darkness.
- The anaesthetic swiftly knocked her out, and when she woke, the surgery was already complete.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.