kneel
verb
ˈnēl 
knelt ˈnelt or kneeled; kneeling
or kneeled; kneeling intransitive verb
: to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor
The prisoners were ordered to kneel.
: to fall or rest on the knees She kneeled on the floor next to the child.
Example Sentences
She was kneeling on the floor beside her child. He was kneeling in front of the altar and praying.
Recent Examples on the Web Tomlin has previously expressed support for athletes who choose to kneel during the anthem. 
Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2022 Khropun said that during the interrogations in all three countries he was forced to kneel for long periods of time or was attacked on his knees and ribs. Greg Norman, Fox News, 19 Apr. 2022 This time, the pass fell incomplete, and the Warhawks were able to kneel for the win. Shawn Mcfarland, courant.com, 11 Sep. 2021 If one guy chooses to stand for his cause and another guy chooses to kneel for his cause, is one right and the other wrong? Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2020 The Giants and all teams had to confront potential chasms when the season began and some players chose to kneel for the anthem while others did not following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 27 Aug. 2020 My future husband will have also made reservations at a nearby Pizza Hut, my favorite restaurant, and kneel down on its fake wooden tiles. Yuxi Lin, Longreads, 25 Mar. 2019 Joe Kennedy, an assistant football coach at a public high school in Washington State, felt impelled to kneel in prayer on the field after games. Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 27 June 2022 Fellow outfielders Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater also chose to kneel. Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2022 See More
Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2022 Khropun said that during the interrogations in all three countries he was forced to kneel for long periods of time or was attacked on his knees and ribs. Greg Norman, Fox News, 19 Apr. 2022 This time, the pass fell incomplete, and the Warhawks were able to kneel for the win. Shawn Mcfarland, courant.com, 11 Sep. 2021 If one guy chooses to stand for his cause and another guy chooses to kneel for his cause, is one right and the other wrong? Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2020 The Giants and all teams had to confront potential chasms when the season began and some players chose to kneel for the anthem while others did not following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 27 Aug. 2020 My future husband will have also made reservations at a nearby Pizza Hut, my favorite restaurant, and kneel down on its fake wooden tiles. Yuxi Lin, Longreads, 25 Mar. 2019 Joe Kennedy, an assistant football coach at a public high school in Washington State, felt impelled to kneel in prayer on the field after games. Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 27 June 2022 Fellow outfielders Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater also chose to kneel. Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English knelen, from Old English cnēowlian; akin to Old English cnēow knee
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
kneel
verb
ˈnēl
knelt
ˈnelt
or kneeled ˈnēld
; kneeling : to support the body on the knees
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