1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of unknowing
One of the strongest scenes in this episode is Maeve teaching the unknowing captive Sam how to swim.
—
Grace Byron, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
As such, when Mia brings an innocent, unknowing stranger back to her apartment and begins to torture him, Dexter— witnessing the events unfold from across the street — calls authorities and Mia is arrested.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The Mangusta has none, and traveling over tar strips and on certain road surfaces is enough to prompt unknowing passengers to inquire with some urgency as to the source of all that noise.
—Car and Driver, 13 Jan. 2023
Now axe-wielding and neck-snapping murderers, the duo have launched into a flesh-seeking rampage, honey-bent on killing not just their former human friend but descending on four unknowing college students staying at home in the woods.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for unknowing
Grace Byron, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
As such, when Mia brings an innocent, unknowing stranger back to her apartment and begins to torture him, Dexter— witnessing the events unfold from across the street — calls authorities and Mia is arrested.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The Mangusta has none, and traveling over tar strips and on certain road surfaces is enough to prompt unknowing passengers to inquire with some urgency as to the source of all that noise.
—Car and Driver, 13 Jan. 2023
Now axe-wielding and neck-snapping murderers, the duo have launched into a flesh-seeking rampage, honey-bent on killing not just their former human friend but descending on four unknowing college students staying at home in the woods.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for unknowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknowing
Adjective
-
Southgate’s confident assertion that the tide of history was turning against bigotry now looks utopian, or even naïve.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
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Season 2 follows two couples on a path of mutual destruction, one older and jaded and one young and naive.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The second leg of the triangle would be to have three or four of the CTA board members be people who actually use the CTA, rather than a board of all political back-scratchers who are unaware of the CTA’s dynamics.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
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Prosecutors say the shooting victim is currently unable to move anything but his eyes and is unaware when his family is in the room with him at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Authorities say a suspect who was eight months pregnant crashed her car into a Sturbridge, Massachusetts hotel early Thursday morning and then started shooting, critically injuring an innocent bystander at the hotel before turning the gun on herself.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The deaths of innocent Americans, and misleading the public on the rationale for their deaths, played a role in her departure.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Their earliest performances could be fun and irreverent, too, but Boy George says they were also marred by ignorant, homophobic heckling.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
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And using both words does not reveal that a person is ignorant but rather cosmopolitan.—
Kirk Bowman,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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The Spurs had the last shot after a defensive rebound, but Wembanyama threw a reckless outlet pass to an unsuspecting Stephon Castle, who was turning around to run the floor.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
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In this case at NASA, the unsuspecting attendees were not handed their pink slips and shown the door.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Clement’s sad-sack charm successfully boosts the leap of faith required to keep Steve from becoming an oblivious creep, but the show belongs to Walker.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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Golden retrievers remained cheerfully oblivious as usual.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Armando Chavez, owner of local business NorCal Siders, was brought in for a simple roof patch-up but left with a big idea.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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In the end, an inexperienced minor – who has no idea who hired them – pulls the trigger.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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Niemeyer found that random killing also creates chaos by replacing older coyotes that have learned the dangers of depredating livestock with younger, inexperienced coyotes that do depredate.—
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unknowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknowing. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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