1 B1 neutral
To accidentally collide with something or someone while moving.
"Hurrying through the dark corridor, she knocked into a filing cabinet and spilled all her papers."
inseparable
knock into
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To collide with something or someone, either accidentally or by force, or to force something into a particular shape or state.
In plain English
To walk or move and hit something by accident, or to force something into a new shape.
What does "knock into" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To force or transform something into a particular condition or shape through effort or discipline.
"The new coach was determined to knock the team into a winning unit before the season opener."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To knock and go into something.
Actually means
To walk or move and hit something by accident, or to force something into a new shape.
Usage tip
Two main senses: physical collision ('I knocked into the shelf') and transformation through effort ('knock it into shape'). The figurative sense of 'knock into shape' means to discipline or improve someone through firm treatment.
Words that pair with "knock into"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shelf wall table shape someone post
How to conjugate "knock into"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
knock into
I/you/we/they
3rd person
knocks into
he/she/it
Past simple
knocked into
yesterday
Past participle
knocked into
have + pp
-ing form
knocking into
continuous
Hear "knock into" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "knock into" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "knock into"
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Keep exploring
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