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 Heo Kang Il, an elite defector who managed a North Korean restaurant in China and in 2016 brought 12 of his staff with him to South Korea, knew people subjected to revolutionization and was subjected to it once himself. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026 Everyone who knew and worked with him was familiar with his stories, often told in a regional Texas twang and often more than once – and occasionally with a remarkable addendum. — Keith McDermott, Vanity Fair, 30 Oct. 2026 Who knew that McKellen’s Hollywood worries would end up with him following the same path as his friend, leading to both actors starring in the first generation of Marvel movies. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 The judge wanted to release him, but knew that he would be quickly picked up by ICE, his sister-in-law said. — Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026 The person who knew him best was not, by his own account, especially forthcoming. — Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026 The rookie defensive back knew where to be for the interception from studying tendencies of the opponent. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026 Still, Chen knew this was nothing compared to what TSMC would bring. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026 Baimbridge knew right away that something was up; Ennesser usually texted or e-mailed. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knew

Verb

Running has historically been understood as an affordable sport.

— Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
But the methodology Benson and her co-authors used to reach those conclusions 21 years ago has not been generally understood.

— Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of understood

Verb

Today, it is widely known that coal miners of the 19th and early 20th centuries experienced ruthless exploitation and hazardous working conditions.

— Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
The bank ultimately experienced more than $40 billion of deposit outflows on March 9, 2023; management actually projected that requests would exceed $100 billion the following day.

— Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of experienced

Verb

Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin added a power-play goal and an assist as the Kings beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
When presented with the findings, the Republican National Committee said the party hasn’t had enough time to fix the affordability crisis inherited from Democratic leadership.

— Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of had

Verb

Electricity has been Fazio’s signature issue in the campaign, and he is recognized as one of the legislature’s leading authorities on the issue as the ranking senator on the energy and technology committee.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Since 2021, the Gotham Awards has recognized performers in gender-neutral categories.

— Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

The display recognizes a fear that has lingered in immigrant families, and a loss felt far beyond them.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Still, Flávio Bolsonaro presented a stark choice that for many environmentalists felt would put the Amazon and Brazil's overall environmental protections at risk.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of felt

Verb

But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026
Re-creating the Herculaneum scrolls To date, one entire scroll and passages from others have been deciphered, largely thanks to the Vesuvius Challenge, a project launched in 2023 that encourages researchers to decode scrolls for cash prizes.

— Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026