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
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Recent Examples of know-it-all
People seemed to engage with us as know-it-all, capital-E experts who could confidently answer any questions that were even remotely related to our specialties.
—
Lauren Keating, Scientific American, 21 July 2025
Her uncaring parents were all too happy to have their loudmouth, know-it-all daughter off their hands.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 June 2025
The actor played know-it-all postal worker Cliff Clavin through the series’ first nine seasons.
—Lauren Coates, Variety, 20 May 2025
But no one likes a know-it-all, least of all Tzarina, who brings an attitude to match Lara’s to their conversation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for know-it-all
Lauren Keating, Scientific American, 21 July 2025
Her uncaring parents were all too happy to have their loudmouth, know-it-all daughter off their hands.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 June 2025
The actor played know-it-all postal worker Cliff Clavin through the series’ first nine seasons.
—Lauren Coates, Variety, 20 May 2025
But no one likes a know-it-all, least of all Tzarina, who brings an attitude to match Lara’s to their conversation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for know-it-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for know-it-all
Noun
-
In 1982’s hit action comedy 48 Hours, a young Eddie Murphy plays a wiseacre criminal on parole in order to help a veteran cop, played by Nick Nolte, solve a case.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
4 Aug. 2025
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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
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
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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
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The suffix -y here is the same as in words like doggy or smarty, used to form nicknames or informal descriptors.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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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
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And of course, the sci-fi comedy pic’s architect, Mel Brooks, is back, returning to his roles as Zen Yiddish wise guy Yogurt and President Skroob.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
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The Green Bay Packers made quite a Week 1 impression — at least with the wise guys in Las Vegas.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Also, the movie knows when to ease up on the wisenheimer instinct.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Sep. 2023
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Stan is a bit of a wisenheimer, and Sandler puts his natural yappiness to good use.—
Mark Feeney,
BostonGlobe.com,
9 June 2022
Noun
-
This fuzzy, snout-nosed, smart aleck extraterrestrial whose name was Gordon Shumway crashed in the suburban garage of the Tanner family in California after escaping from the doomed planet of Melmac, which was destroyed by nuclear war.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Know-it-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/know-it-all. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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