VocabauraVOCABAURA

knocking

noun

Simple meaning

An act in which something is knocked on, or the sound thus produced.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

nahking

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈnɑkɪŋ

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. The sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)

  2. An act in which something is knocked on, or the sound thus produced

  3. automotive

    A repetitive ping, knock, or similar sound coming from an engine in which there are repeated uncontrolled explosions in the combustion chamber.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
Frequency
Moderately Common
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.

More ways to use knocking

  • “The knocking grew louder.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “knocking”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

loud knockingcome knocking

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Inflected forms

Grammatical variations of the same word.

  • knockverbBase word

    Deliver a sharp blow or push.

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “knocking” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.