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 One page, on paper, taped inside the front cover of a book, written before anyone knew the full answer and precisely because nobody did. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Investigators said that all the teens knew one another but have not yet determined a motive for the killings, according to DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026 Edenfield and another property crime detective, Braden Dobbins, were interviewing people who knew Williams. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 The venue, the Kravis Center, knew the concert was happening. — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Lorena Gonzalez, president of the labor federation, said that several unions endorsed both candidates but Kim had lot of backing from San Francisco Bay Area unions that knew her through her work on progressive issues in San Francisco. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 Considering Banks’ filmography spans 50 years and includes Breaking Bad’s assortment of highly celebrated villains, Dalton knew the weight of such a statement. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026 Most people Leslie and Charlie knew said the couple made an odd match. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Sellers also urged investigators to reexamine another woman who knew Chavez. — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knew

Verb

These types of conversations help teens feel understood and strengthen trust, while uncovering more about what is really driving the desire to change up their look.

— Liz Regalia, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
No one in the nuclear industry really understood the massive technological advancements made in oil drilling within the last 10 to 20 years, Baltzer told Fortune.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of understood

Verb

Despite all this, Newport is best experienced like a local—and a Newport Airbnb is the best way to go about achieving this.

— Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026
Since Thursday, Bitcoin owners who store their crypto with Coldcard, which offers a form of hyper-secure storage known as a hard wallet, have experienced four waves of thefts that have affected more than 5,200 individual addresses.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of experienced

Verb

Kenya has until recently been widely recognized for rebuilding its elephant population from historic lows to more than 36,000 individuals by reducing poaching and protecting elephants.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards recognized several standout properties, with Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, earning the top spot among international wellness retreats for more than a decade.

— Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

Tarik Skubal could have been wearing a Rays hat or a Brewers hat if either organization felt comfortable parting with prospects.

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
But with this hypothesis the siblings felt they had been given the freedom to dream for the first time—the very time a miracle might just happen.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 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