knell

If “Superman” had opened to critical and commercial failure, it would have been a death knell for the modern superhero genre as we know it.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

Future Americans will probably spend even more time on digital devices than they do now, but it will not be the death knell of live entertainment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

It marks the death knell of the post–World War II settlement that, however imperfect, wrestled the anarchy of war into a framework designed to condition armed aggression on legal justification.

From Slate ● Jan. 5, 2026

“In California, that’s not a death knell, that’s a life force.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

The Joseph Bell tolled its last, huge knell.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Time magazine tagged her as one of the death knells of feminism, which seems harsh.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 25, 2017

They worked for him at Modern Photography, Holiday, Travel & Leisure, Town & Country and other publications, most of them gone long before the Internet began sounding its knells for the printed page.

From New York Times ● Jun. 13, 2015

Despite the death knells, Luke Donald spent part of the year at No. 1, and after dropping to No. 3, supplanted Woods at No. 2 by December.

From Golf Digest ● Dec. 5, 2012

My name is John Wellington Wells, I'm a dealer in magic and spells, In blessings and curses, And ever filled purses In prophecies, witches and knells!

From Bab Ballads and Savoy Songs by Sir W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert

Alone!—that worn-out word, So idly spoken, and so coldly heard; Yet all that poets sing and grief hath known Of hopes laid waste, knells in that word Alone!

From Familiar Quotations A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature by John Bartlett

Although their beating hearts with ours kept time, Although their clinging hands we fondly held, We could not walk the path they had to climb, Hardly we heard the death-call when it knelled.

From Memorial Day and Other Verse by Helen Leah Reed

The typical, significant sound knelled to her heart.

From Sir George Tressady — Volume II by Mrs. Humphry Ward

All started, as a deep groan knelled in their ears.

From Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth

The wind howled around me—I felt impatient and benumbed—and, as I stood irresolute, with a moaning chime the church bell knelled upon my ear.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 4 by Various

What disaster it was that was thus knelled forth they knew not, and could hardly believe the tidings when given in articulate words.

From Great Britain and Her Queen by Annie E. Keeling

In every traveler's eulogy there is a strain of elegy, and every traveler hearkens to the raven's knelling cry of "Nevermore."

From Time Magazine Archive

While many of the world's thinkers are worried about the proliferation of births, it is the knelling sound of death that keeps us awake at night.

From Time Magazine Archive

All the jolly chase is here, With hawk and horse and hunting spear: Hounds are in their couples yelling, Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling; Merrily, merrily, mingle they.

From Bibliomania; or Book-Madness A Bibliographical Romance by Thomas Frognall Dibdin

The fiery windows of Castle Lukstein would leap upon me out of the darkness, and I would wake in a cold sweat, my body a-quiver, and her lone cry knelling in my ears.

From The Courtship of Morrice Buckler A Romance by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason

II Thou liest upon the shore, love, Beside the knelling surge, But sea-nymphs ever more, love, Shall sadly chant thy dirge.

From The Life and Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Volume II (of 2) by Florence A. Thomas Marshall