Knockback is an effect applied to enemies that briefly pushes them backwards whenever they are damaged by the player.
When an enemy is receiving knockback, its overall movement speed is reversed and multiplied by a knockback multiplier for the duration of the effect. The knockback multiplier is the product of the damaging weapon's knockback dealt multiplier and knockback taken multiplier of the target enemy. The knockback effect lasts 120 milliseconds.[Verify]
Garlic and its evolution Soul Eater have an additional effect that increases the knockback taken by enemies hit by it. If the enemy is not immune to debuffs, every time it is hit by either of these weapons, its knockback taken multiplier is increased by an additional 0.3 until its maximum knockback value is reached.