omniscience

noun om·ni·science \ äm-ˈni-shən(t)s \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of omniscience

: the quality or state of being omniscient

the brilliant military mind … gradually became infected by a conviction of military and political omniscience
—Drew Middleton

Recent Examples of omniscience from the Web

The effect is a kind of uncertain omniscience, which allows the novelist not only to move easily among his characters but to blend their thoughts, when need be, into a collective anxiety.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Walter Kempowski’s Epic Novel of Germany in Collapse," 21 Mar. 2016
And even the biggest intelligence budget and the latest spy gadgetry do not guarantee omniscience.

— alex bollfrass, Washington Post, "Did the U.S. underestimate North Korea's weapons program? It's not that simple.," 16 Jan. 2018
Your order constantly changes and evolves, because a Foodgōd’s what-to-order omniscience depends on knowing and trying it all, even at Nobu.

— candace braun davison, Esquire, "The 10 Commandments of Being a Reality Star Foodgod," 28 Feb. 2018
His three novels are remarkable for the distinctiveness of their styles, but also for their special uncanniness, their relentless omniscience.

— hanya yanagihara, New York Times, "Bruce Chatwin: One of the Last Great Explorers," 7 Sep. 2017
Moving from light fictionalization to ostensible fact, though, presents all sorts of existential problems for Law & Order, a show designed to deliver closure and omniscience.

— willa paskin, Slate Magazine, "Law & Order Tries to Get Real," 26 Sep. 2017
Economists mostly recognise that normal people—their friends and family—fall short of omniscience and perfect rationality in making day-to-day decisions.

— The Economist, "Richard Thaler wins the Nobel prize for economic sciences," 10 Oct. 2017
There are countless reasons why unplanned pregnancies occur and why women choose to have abortions, but a healthcare system in which quality coverage depends on omniscience seems unreasonable.

— rebecca grant, New Republic, "Does Your Insurance Cover Abortion?," 13 Sep. 2017
This is the omniscience not only of a writer but of a wife.

— alexandra schwartz, The New Yorker, "The Art and Activism of Grace Paley," 8 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'omniscience.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.