UNKNOWING Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

unknowing

adjective

ˌən-ˈnō-iŋ

Definition of unknowing

as in naive

lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment those unknowing people who think that the world is a kindly place are in for a rude awakening

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unaware

not informed about or aware of something the poor woman has been the unknowing target of some pretty vicious gossip

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 unknowing But the scale of the production design challenge was in building spaces that would appear seamless but allow the crew to always track Norman and adjust the frame in order to spotlight the show’s unknowing hero — over almost 300,000 square feet. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026 From around January to June 2022, the couple tricked unknowing subordinates into adding fake vendors to the company's system, officials said. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026 The detective, once the exemplar of reason, drifts here into a fog of unknowing. — Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025 One of the strongest scenes in this episode is Maeve teaching the unknowing captive Sam how to swim. — Grace Byron, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unknowing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknowing

Adjective

Mischa Glooshkoff, aka Michael Graves, has light brown curls, a wicked grin, and a wiry frame—perfect casting for the grand boulevardier who would lead my naïve young father astray.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
And how naive of me to believe that language could transcend grief.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of naive

Adjective

One of the key questions investigators are working to answer is why the control center appeared to be unaware that a train remained stalled on the tracks ahead of a train moving at 120 mph.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
But Vester, the assistant city manager, on Tuesday told commissioners the city was unaware of the naming-rights contract until recently.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of unaware

Adjective

The charges are allegations, and each person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of innocent

Adjective

Understandably, Penn struggles to hold these disparate points of focus together with a performance that vacillates between disarmingly dopey and almost willfully ignorant of the realities of the 2000s media landscape.

— Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Some people in the White House treated Jackie as a cipher, ignorant of almost everything happening.

— Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ignorant

Adjective

Then, on one unsuspecting evening in October, Kylie Jenner revived the spectacle in the most expensive Fantasy Bra to date.

— Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2026
The fact that there is someone out there who could actually get all the real unsuspecting morons who participated in this movie to sign off on it afterwards is simply astonishing considering what they are asked to do in it.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsuspecting

Adjective

The actor wore a long black leather coat over a simple black tank, paired with straight-leg blue jeans cinched with a leather belt.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
The company played with flexible workdays instead of rigid schedules, clearer windows for collaboration, simpler rules for meetings, better ways to share and document work, and more intentional reasons for coming together in person.

— Deborah Lovich, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of simple

Adjective

Things won’t be at an elite level because this is still a young, inexperienced team.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Under Sorrells, attorneys representing the state often rely on equally inexperienced colleagues or, in some instances, opposing counsel, for training, sources said.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of inexperienced

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unknowable

unknowing

unknowingly

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Style

“Unknowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknowing. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unknowing

adjective

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