knowledge

Definition of knowledgenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun knowledge differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of knowledge are erudition, learning, and scholarship. While all these words mean "what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind," knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

In what contexts can erudition take the place of knowledge?

While in some cases nearly identical to knowledge, erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

When would learning be a good substitute for knowledge?

The words learning and knowledge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

Where would scholarship be a reasonable alternative to knowledge?

In some situations, the words scholarship and knowledge are roughly equivalent. However, scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation.

a work of first-rate literary scholarship

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of knowledge While leaders may not yet be thinking about quantum solutions, the process of determining encryption risks from quantum is a forcing function that can create knowledge and motivation for a broader quantum roadmap within their organization. Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 Laqueur, an emeritus history professor at the University of California at Berkley, is an ideal explorer, having the knowledge and experience to range through history and society looking for examples. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026 What the 2026 Global Perimenopause Study Actually Found The Mayo Clinic and Flo Health survey, published January 28, 2026 in Menopause, the official journal of The Menopause Society, is the largest international look at perimenopause knowledge to date. Allison Palmer updated June 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026 We may instead be stuck with storytelling, folk knowledge, and the nuggets of wisdom that have come down to us in ancient texts. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for knowledge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knowledge
Noun
  • Relationships become a wisdom source.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 19 June 2026
  • Algorithms identify patterns, but wisdom depends on human insight.
    Andy Busser, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Parton, a long-time literacy advocate, created the Imagination Library to give free books to kids and has been working with Reading Ready Pittsburgh for eight years.
    Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • In the nineteenth century, upper class American women who had leisure time and literacy became really into keeping floral calendars to note when wildflowers bloomed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Colorado also provided little funding to promote awareness about gambling addiction and put limited guardrails in place to help people slow their betting habits.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
  • Over the past 12 months, consumer awareness of regenerative agriculture has grown from 7% to 13%, according to the new survey, conducted in partnership with Hierophant Insights and Strategy.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Funded by the National Science Foundation, our multidisciplinary team blended our expertise in causal inference, sustainability and cybersecurity, to work on the tangled question of what people do with their consumer electronics when they’re done using them.
    Eric Williams, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
  • Blending live action and animation, the digital shorts pair Pratt’s curiosity and humor with Goodwin’s historical expertise and fact-checking to highlight America’s founding ideals.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • The elastico requires perseverance and patience to master, with a key learning point being that the skill, otherwise known as the flip-flap, is performed in one motion.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • DeepMind contributes expertise in artificial intelligence and learning systems, while Nvidia provides the high-performance computing infrastructure needed for large-scale simulation and robot training.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • If attention arrives fast, share credit and keep momentum steady by choosing the next clear milestone.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
  • McKay admired how Greenberg, who has devoted his life to drawing attention to the climate crisis, has used every platform at his disposal to magnify the stakes of global warming.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • As the lore goes, the SCP Foundation is a non-government organization that collects and contains supernatural discoveries.
    Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 June 2026
  • How much of the lore is definitively figured out at this point?
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • The course, which was combined with a more traditional woodworking class, was developed by the Home Builders Institute, a nonprofit that provides trade skill training and education for the building industry.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
  • When Ancelotti won the first of his five Champions League titles as a coach, with Milan in 2003, Clement was a 31-year-old education and welfare officer at Fulham, having left a job as a school PE teacher in order to work in football.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 14 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knowledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knowledge. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on knowledge

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster