1
a
: sunk to the knees
knee-deep in mud
b
: deeply engaged or occupied
knee-deep in work
2

Examples of knee-deep in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The water inside Anaver's home was already knee-deep when the home came off its foundation, bringing Anaver and all of the items inside with it. Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 Video footage of the area, released by Reuters, showed hikers trekking through a heavy blizzard and knee-deep snow. Chantelle Lee, Time, 6 Oct. 2025 In Denver, where the 61-year-old Payton is knee-deep in his next rebuild, a Parcells quote hangs prominently in the hallway of the team’s facility in Dove Valley. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2025 According to Alison Layfield, vice president of product development at parcel shipping services provider ePost Global, the strike is ill-timed for retailers and logistics teams that are already knee-deep in peak holiday season planning. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for knee-deep

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of knee-deep was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knee-deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knee-deep. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

knee-deep

adjective
-ˈdēp
: being up to one's knees
knee-deep in mud
knee-deep snowdrifts

More from Merriam-Webster on knee-deep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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