Synonyms of knowing

knowing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnō-iŋ 

1

as in aware

having inside information

exchanged a knowing look with her business partner during the sales presentation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aware
• alerted
• wise
• alert
• informed
• in the know
• prepared
• hip
• ready
• warned
• observing
• observant
• watchful
• vigilant
• forewarned
• attentive
• clued (in)
• with-it
• open-eyed
• sharp-eyed
• sharp
• plugged-in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unaware
• oblivious
• unconscious
• uninformed
• unknowing
• unwitting
• unmindful
• heedless
• unprepared
• unwary
• unready

2

as in smart

having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment

knowing movie producers do not invest their own money in their risky ventures

Synonyms & Similar Words

• smart
• experienced
• wise
• astute
• savvy
• veteran
• sharp
• shrewd
• keen
• intelligent
• clever
• brilliant
• heady
• hardheaded
• cunning
• discerning
• quick
• canny
• clear-eyed
• subtle
• bright
• clear-sighted
• slick
• tricky
• wily
• perceptive
• artful
• insightful
• crafty
• sly
• cagey
• sharp-witted
• calculating
• sagacious
• hard-boiled
• discriminating
• devious
• alert
• percipient
• sage
• resourceful
• sapient
• dodgy
• foxy
• perspicacious
• discriminative
• guileful
• scheming
• apt
• pawky
• ingenious
• nimble
• agile
• brainy
• quick-witted
• sharp-sighted
• sharp-eyed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unknowing
• innocent
• naive
• ingenuous
• guileless
• artless
• gullible
• exploitable
• unwise
• dense
• simple
• stupid
• dumb
• unperceptive
• slow
• obtuse
• foolish
• dull
• ignorant
• silly
• thoughtless
• feebleminded
• unintelligent
• dopey
• uninformed
• idiotic
• brainless
• brain-dead
• imbecile
• weak-minded
• witless
• moronic
• thickheaded
• lamebrain
• gormless
• softheaded
• empty-headed
• knuckleheaded
• slow-witted
• dim-witted
• airheaded
• thick-witted
• half-witted
• lunkheaded
• birdbrained

3

as in conscious

made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing

a knowing waiver of his rights

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conscious
• deliberate
• voluntary
• intended
• intentional
• willed
• willful
• purposeful
• planned
• calculated
• purposive
• witting
• reasoned
• set
• advised
• thoughtful
• considered
• designed
• weighed
• optional
• studied
• volunteer
• measured
• premeditated
• elective
• discretionary
• premeditative
• prepense

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• chance
• unintentional
• inadvertent
• random
• accidental
• incidental
• unwitting
• sudden
• necessary
• haphazard
• nondeliberate
• aimless
• purposeless
• nonpurposive
• desultory
• mandatory
• required
• impetuous
• abrupt
• compulsory
• involuntary
• forced
• ordered
• hit-or-miss
• obligatory
• spontaneous
• instinctive
• casual
• impromptu
• coerced
• impulsive
• extemporaneous
• nonelective
• unforced
• unpremeditated

4

as in considered

decided on as a result of careful thought

with knowing equivocation, the witness responded to the question without really answering it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• considered
• calculated
• deliberate
• reasoned
• advised
• careful
• studied
• weighed
• planned
• thoughtful
• informed
• measured
• intended
• thought-out
• intentional
• premeditated
• designed
• educated
• meticulous
• aforethought
• purposeful
• prepense
• projected
• prudent
• forethoughtful
• foresighted
• provident

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• chance
• casual
• random
• unadvised
• unstudied
• unconsidered
• uncalculated
• haphazard
• sudden
• rushed
• aimless
• hurried
• purposeless
• automatic
• desultory
• hasty
• ill-advised
• spontaneous
• instinctive
• hit-or-miss
• half-cocked
• impetuous
• abrupt
• impromptu
• extemporaneous

knowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of know

1

as in understanding

to have a practical understanding of

a career diplomat who knows several languages

a fan who really knows baseball

Synonyms & Similar Words

• understanding
• comprehending
• grasping
• appreciating
• perceiving
• possessing
• apprehending
• cognizing
• fathoming
• having
• following
• savvying
• kenning
• catching on (to)
• picking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misunderstanding
• misinterpreting
• misperceiving
• misconceiving
• misapprehending
• misknowing

2

as in experiencing

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

• experiencing
• having
• undergoing
• seeing
• enduring
• feeling
• suffering
• witnessing
• sustaining
• passing
• tasting
• receiving
• going through
• encountering
• accepting
• meeting
• digesting
• assimilating

3

as in seeing

to have a clear idea of

I think I know what you're trying to say

Synonyms & Similar Words

• understanding
• seeing
• deciphering
• recognizing
• comprehending
• appreciating
• grasping
• realizing
• getting
• perceiving
• sensing
• discerning
• conceiving
• making
• intuiting
• apprehending
• beholding
• assimilating
• cognizing
• seizing
• digging
• registering
• decoding
• tumbling (to)
• catching
• catching on (to)
• grokking
• making out
• compassing
• twigging
• savvying
• picking up on
• digesting
• cottoning (to or on to)
• absorbing
• fathoming
• taking in
• penetrating
• piercing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• missing
• misunderstanding
• mistaking
• misinterpreting
• misreading
• misconstruing
• misperceiving
• misconceiving
• misapprehending

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of knowing

Adjective

Joe is a knowing witness to and participant in the rot at the heart of Western Civilization. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2026

His trademark smirk and knowing stare are now feared by any opponent up against Norway, but don’t be fooled into thinking Haaland isn’t serious about his career. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Verb

Before the end of the season, City had decided Fernandez would be a key target, knowing that Rodri could leave. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Our concern is that the White House is putting Congress in the position of voting on a CISA extension without knowing how the GOLD EAGLE program is operating, who’s involved, or what statutory authority is being invoked. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026