knell

1 of 2

noun

1
: a stroke or sound of a bell especially when rung slowly (as for a death, funeral, or disaster)
2
: an indication of the end or the failure of something
sounded the death knell for our hopes

knell

2 of 2

verb

knelled; knelling; knells

transitive verb

: to summon or announce by or as if by a knell

intransitive verb

1
: to ring especially for a death, funeral, or disaster : toll
2
: to sound in an ominous manner or with an ominous effect

Examples of knell in a Sentence

Verb the church bells knelled to mark the death of the nation's beloved leader
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Tuesday proved to be the likely death knell for Haley’s campaign. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 Again, in the early 2000s, executives predicted digital piracy enabled by peer-to-peer sites like Napster would be the death knell of music. Elijah Clark, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The result is a slow-but-steady death knell, with everything from V8 Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Challengers to advanced supercars from McLaren turning to turbochargers and fewer cylinders. Karl Brauer, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Their intensifying apathy about her chances could be the death knell for her fast-sinking campaign. Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024 The print edition survived the advent of radio, and then television, and surely both were predicted to have been its death knell. David W. Dunlap, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2023 Here's why this is such a death knell for Russia's civil space program under Putin's leadership. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 21 Aug. 2023 Failing to score after a turnover could have been a death knell. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2024 As 2023 draws to a close, no one is sounding the death knell of the superhero movie. Jake Coyle, Fortune, 27 Dec. 2023
Verb
Day 18: Hard to focus with all the death knells tolling. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English cnyllan; akin to Middle High German erknellen to toll

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of knell was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near knell

Cite this Entry

“Knell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knell. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

knell

1 of 2 verb
1
: to ring slowly and solemnly especially for a death, funeral, or disaster : toll
2
: to summon, announce, or warn by a knell

knell

2 of 2 noun
1
: a stroke or sound of a bell especially when rung slowly for a death, funeral, or disaster
2
: an indication (as a sound) of the end or failure of something

More from Merriam-Webster on knell

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