KNEW Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

knew

verb

Definition of knew

past tense of know

as in understood

to have a practical understanding of a career diplomat who knows several languages a fan who really knows baseball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in experienced

to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it knows full well how nerve-racking it can be to speak in public

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in saw

to have a clear idea of I think I know what you're trying to say

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 knew Brother Rice coach Sean McBride knew Cunningham was capable of coming through in the spotlight. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 The character was a departure from what audiences knew her for and also brought her into more contemporary storylines. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 This is somebody who knew intimately the goings on in my family tax and estate planning entities. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 17 July 2026 Several troubling new details are included in the articles, including an accusation that ADA leadership knew in advance that members would be handing out copies of the editorial and deliberately set up an ambush by venue security and local police. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026 Combining the oldest firm in Washington with a City of London powerhouse 16 years ago was visionary, but everybody knew that there was something missing, and that was New York. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 17 July 2026 Shtilerman knew about their relationship; it had been widely reported in the media. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 Crump, the family’s attorney, cast doubt on the notion that Wells may have drowned – saying the teen was a strong athlete and knew how to swim. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 But Bogenpohl stayed put, and the decision surprised few of the people who knew him best. — Latif Love july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knew

Verb

Central Florida has long understood the power of storytelling.

— Jack Kennedy, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
In his fullest public argument yet about his thinking, Thiel and co-author Sam Wolfe write the figure of ultimate evil is best understood not as a monster or a tyrant but as a technocrat.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026

Definition of understood

Verb

Hala Shamas, founder of alcohol retailer Sipsy, has already experienced how abruptly an emerging adult-beverage category can become unsellable.

— Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Conway, for instance, experienced 100-degree heat and a heat index value of 122.

— Miceala Morano, Arkansas Online, 20 July 2026

Definition of experienced

Verb

Charles Birnbaum, president of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, said his nonprofit was recognized as a Section 106 consulting party about the fencing in April, but has not been invited to any meetings about it.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 July 2026
Hayward and Bienvenue also recognized that their stories had been shortened for the show, so audiences did not see all of the necessary context for their engagement.

— Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

Villa felt Roma were leading the pursuit of Garnacho this summer, though Emery pushed to convince the player to move to the Midlands.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 22 July 2026
An inaudible heartbeat reverberates through the space at a frequency below human hearing, producing vibrations that can be felt by those standing nearby.

— Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Definition of felt

Verb

Its successor script, Linea B, was also a mystery until it was deciphered in 1952 by an amateur linguist and cryptographer Michael Ventris with the help of classicist John Chadwick, both building on patterns in the script first identified by classicist Alice Kober.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026
The signature was deciphered with the help of AI, and specialists at auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm that Cadell was the artist.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026

Definition of deciphered

Verb

Of course, when Netflix underwent some turbulence a few years ago, the company also made a lot of bold moves in response, such as the aforementioned addition of an advertising tier, and those actions ultimately calmed investors’ nerves.

— Josef Adalian, Vulture, 16 July 2026
Lopez underwent another brain surgery to remove the second part of his lesion.

— Mary Ella Hastings Updated July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026