know better

idiom

1

: to be smart or sensible enough not to do something

You walked home alone? Don't you know better (than that)?

She'll know better than to trust them again.

There's no excuse for his behavior. He's old enough to know better.

Don't blame him. He's just a child and he doesn't know (any) better.

2

: to know or understand the truth about something

She tried to tell me that it wasn't her fault, but I know better.

3

: to know or understand more than other people

You can't tell him what to do. He always thinks that he knows better.

Examples of know better in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

My dogs know better than to move the cat. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025

But Californians know better than most what happens when a legislature can move major bills at high speed with little debate. —Jeremy Dalrymple, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025

Why must members of the public be disrespected by unruly, misbehaving, noisy children, who are then defended by adults who should know better? —Judith Martin, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025

Kids know better than to use it. —NBC news, 30 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for know better

• abettor
• newsletter
• typesetter
• bettor
• debtor
• fetter
• getter
• letter
• netter
• petar
• petter
• rhetor