know-nothing

noun

know-noth·​ing ˈnō-ˌnə-thiŋ 

1

a

: ignoramus

b

: agnostic

2

Know-Nothing : a member of a 19th century secret American political organization hostile to the political influence of recent immigrants and Roman Catholics

know-nothing adjective

Synonyms of know-nothing

• idiot
• moron
• stupid

Examples of know-nothing in a Sentence

often disparaged her coworkers as a bunch of know-nothings

Recent Examples on the Web

What began as conceptual satire about know-nothing critics with nothing to say became, Heidecker believes, more about the democratization of entertainment and the last days of Hollywood reverence. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026

How about the Hollywood know-nothings Susan Sarandon or Mark Ruffalo, who have so much to say about the suffering of Hamas terrorists but not a peep for people being brutalized and murdered by actual terrorists? — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026

How did liberal democracy go from being the uncontested winner of the Cold War to a hapless doormat for reality-TV stars and know-nothing podcasters? — Jamie Merchant, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2025

Then there are those who rage against their children’s accomplishments, clinging to the hierarchy agreed upon when the child was a helpless know-nothing. — Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025

The secret is that Spike’s know-nothing naivete encourages us to see the world through the eyes of someone who’s new to every part of it. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for know-nothing

• nothing

Kids Definition

know-nothing

noun

know-noth·​ing

ˈnō-ˌnəth-iŋ

: a person who is ignorant : ignoramus