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 After the second plane struck, Doremus knew the crashes were an attack. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 Wade knew that despite their apparent uniformity, oceans hide many distinct habitats that differ in temperature, currents, ultraviolet light, chemistry, and oxygen. — Quanta Magazine, 11 Sep. 2026 White knew Adderley through U-M alumnus David Alger, president of Fred Alger Management. — Sheryl Lee, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Williams knew that her husband was safe because his flight had been grounded. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 She was taken by Keller’s drive and vision, and knew that Talm’s unique positioning could be highly complementary to Caudalie. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026 Delgado Lopez, 31, knew both of his victims, police sources with knowledge of the case said. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 Only a restricted group of planners knew the exercise was approaching. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026 His note arrived after years of halting development, from an actor Greengrass knew only casually. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knew

Verb

But González understood the system better than all those people.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
Still, the 2021 GAO investigation found that the protections were unevenly understood and applied.

— María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of understood

Verb

Countries in Asia and Africa, which rely more heavily on imports from the Middle East, have experienced some of the starkest shocks.

— Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Teams should be trained to measure the outcomes experienced by customers and to build relationships, which should include asking for referrals from those who truly believe in the product or service.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of experienced

Verb

Many attributed the country’s stability and prosperity to Putin, who in fact had little to do with either.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
The administration's efforts had the potential to be especially disruptive in states like Washington and Oregon that send out ballots entirely by mail.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of had

Verb

Scott Keever is an entrepreneur, internationally recognized SEO expert, online reputation mastermind and Founder of Reputation Pros.

— Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
There is a lineup of countries waiting to get in, with nine countries currently recognized as candidates for EU membership.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

The city felt vibrant and full of possibility, especially as Russia seemed firmly on its way to a democratic future.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
The assumption was that the closer the system felt to a person, the more stable the interaction would be, and if the user ever noticed the seams, the illusion would collapse.

— Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of felt

Verb

Uncertainty notwithstanding, the longevity world has glommed onto the notion that the vaginal microbiome is some kind of exotic tealeaf that can be deciphered—and perfected by purchasing the right supplements.

— Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
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

Definition of deciphered

Verb

Hart is a breast cancer survivor who underwent a double mastectomy as part of their treatment and is adamant about diverse breast representation.

— Kara McGrath, Allure, 15 Sep. 2026
Originally held in person at BASE Milano, the Portfolio Reviews underwent a significant transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, moving entirely online.

— Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2026