know-it-all

as in know-all
informal + disapproving a person who talks and behaves like someone who knows everything My neighbor is a real know-it-all, always telling me what to do.

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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 know-it-all That extends to Watson himself, who is portrayed as a master of deductive reasoning, a swaggering know-it-all who has a genius-like understanding of human nature and the world itself. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025 Successful teams today aren’t led by the know-it-all and always right A-type personalities. John Hall, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024 By Marci Robin December 19, 2024 Normally, know-it-alls are kind of annoying. Marci Robin, Allure, 19 Dec. 2024 But the low point is its treatment of its female characters, who are painted as irritating, know-it-all nags who just get in the way of a good time. Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 18 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for know-it-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for know-it-all
Noun
  • Similarly, the Pink Ladies, a popular clique headed by Rizzo (Stockard Channing), deliver their wiseacre lines with a fair dose of irony.
    Vogue, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2024
  • Mark Kelly The boat, the train and the paradigm shift were all missed by Apple, according to the wiseacres.
    Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 6 June 2023
Noun
  • One year after his debut in Top Secret! and one year before stepping up as Top Gun's Iceman, Kilmer led Martha Coolidge's comedy Real Genius, playing a Caltech wiz-kid (and hard-partying wiseass) tasked with designing a chemical laser.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • But since the emergence of a kinder, gentler Deadpool in the wiseass character’s first stand-alone movie, Wade has carried on a long-distance flirtation with Wolverine.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2024
Noun
  • The film stars Janelle Monáe in overlapping roles as a 21st-century professional smarty named Veronica and an enslaved woman named Eden who is forced into labor on a cotton plantation.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2020
  • In addition to Johnson, East High's resident smarty-pants, Monique Coleman will be reprising her role as the brilliant Taylor McKessie and Broadway veteran Alyson Reed will be back as the kooky Ms. Darbus.
    Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2022
Noun
  • And for the most part, the wise guys weren't overly impressed with the Green Bay Packers’ offseason.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
  • The wise guys that summarily swooped him up were rewarded with 10 multiple-TD games and a QB8 finish on the year.
    Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Also, the movie knows when to ease up on the wisenheimer instinct.
    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
  • Stan is a bit of a wisenheimer, and Sandler puts his natural yappiness to good use.
    Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2022
Noun
  • Newton scored and so did backcourt mate Cam Spencer, that different style of smart aleck, who had 20.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
  • Perry portrayed sweet, sarcastic smart aleck Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on Friends, garnering an Emmy nomination.
    EW.com, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Know-it-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/know-it-all. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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