English Lexicon

Kneeling

/ˈniː.lɪŋ/
nounadjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #2500 frequency
Full Thesaurus

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    The act of bending one or both knees to the ground as a sign of respect, submission, worship, or supplication.

    "The traditional ceremony began with a period of silent kneeling before the altar."
As adjective
  1. 1

    In a position where one's knees are resting on the floor or ground.

    "The kneeling figures in the sculpture depicted profound humility."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Middle English verb 'knelen', originating from Old English 'cneowlian', related to 'cneow' (knee). The action reflects historical bodily postures of submission, reverence, and formal respect across Indo-European cultures.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Kneeling"?

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Kneeling"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Kneeling" Synonym Map