How to spell knock

hear itknock/nɑk/verbSilent and tricky

What it means: To hit something with your hand or an object.

In a sentence: Can you knock on the door before you enter?

The part people get wrong

Watch for a silent k. Often misspelled as noc or knok.

Same family: knocks, knocked, knocking, knockout, door-knock. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Knock” comes from Old English “cnocian,” meaning to strike or rap, and originally imitated the actual sound of hitting something. Over time, it stayed close to its sound-effect roots, which is why it still feels like an onomatopoeic word today.

Patterns it uses: Silent letters

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

Words like this

knapsack · knob · knickers · wreck · knoll · knead · knave · knot

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