Know — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈnō/

Meaning & Definition of Know

Know (verb)

  1. to perceive directly, have direct cognition of
  2. to have understanding of
  3. to recognize the nature of, discern

Know (noun)

  1. knowledge

Know (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to have a practical understanding of

    "a career diplomat who knows several languages"

    "a fan who really knows baseball"

    similar: comprehend, grasp, understand
    related: appreciate, apprehend, cognize, fathom, follow, ken (chiefly Scottish), perceive, savvy, have, possess, catch on (to), pick up
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand

  2. to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it

    "knows full well how nerve-racking it can be to speak in public"

    similar: endure, experience, feel, have, pass, see, suffer, sustain, taste, undergo, witness, go through
    related: encounter, meet, accept, receive, assimilate, digest

  3. to have a clear idea of

    "I think I know what you're trying to say"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

Know (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in news, information

    similar: dope, information, intelligence, lowdown, news, skinny (slang), knowledge, lore, science, wisdom, data, evidence, facts, acquaintance, awareness, familiarity, literacy, erudition, learning, scholarship, expertise, know-how
    opposite: ignorance, inexperience, innocence, nescience, unfamiliarity

Related Entry: Know-how (noun)

Know-how is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-how, not for know.

  1. knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something

    "you'll gain some practical know-how in this auto mechanics class"

    similar: chops, experience, expertise, moxie, proficiency, savvy, skills
    related: background, command, mastery, acquaintance, conversance, familiarity, intimacy
    opposite: inexperience
    near: ignorance, unawareness, unfamiliarity

Related Entry: Know-nothing (noun)

Know-nothing is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-nothing, not for know.

  1. a stupid person

    "often disparaged her coworkers as a bunch of know-nothings"

    similar: airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll, clot (British), cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (British dialect), deadhead, dim bulb (slang), dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus (slang), dope, dork (slang), dullard, dum-dum, dumbbell, dumbhead, dummkopf, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, jackass, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead (chiefly dialect), loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, mome (archaic), moron, mug (chiefly British), mutt, nimrod (slang), nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit (chiefly British), nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull, oaf, pinhead, prat (British), ratbag (chiefly Australian), saphead, schlub (slang), schnook (slang), simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, turkey, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yo, dumb cluck
    related: booby, buffoon, fool, goose, loony, madman, nut, zany, loser, gawk, featherbrain, scatterbrain, beast, boor, cad, churl, clown, creep, cur, heel, jerk, skunk, snake, stinker, villain
    opposite: brain, genius
    near: intellect, intellectual, sage, thinker, whiz, wizard, polymath, Renaissance man, sharpie

Related Entry: Know-it-all (noun)

Know-it-all is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-it-all, not for know.

  1. 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."

    similar: know-all (chiefly British), smart aleck, smarty, smarty-pants, wiseacre, wiseass, wise guy, wisenheimer, wisecracker, hotshot, show-off

Related Entry: Know-all (noun)

Know-all is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-all, not for know.

  1. as in know-it-all

    similar: know-it-all, smart aleck, smarty, smarty-pants, wiseacre, wiseass, wise guy, wisenheimer, wisecracker, hotshot, show-off

Related Entry: Know-alls (noun)

Know-alls is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-alls, not for know.

  1. as in know-it-alls

    similar: know-it-alls, smart alecks, smarties, smarty-pants, wiseacres, wiseasses, wise guys, wisenheimers, wisecrackers, hotshots, show-offs

Related Entry: Know-nothingism (noun)

Know-nothingism is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-nothingism, not for know.

  1. as in agnosticism

    similar: agnosticism, atheism, godlessness, nonbelief, secularism, unbelief
    opposite: credo, creed, cult, faith, persuasion, religion, church, communion, denomination, sect, doctrine, dogma, theology

Related Entry: Know-nothingisms (noun)

Know-nothingisms is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-nothingisms, not for know.

  1. as in agnosticism

    similar: agnosticism, atheisms, nonbeliefs, secularisms
    opposite: credos, creeds, cults, faiths, persuasions, religions, churches, communions, denominations, sects, doctrines, dogmas, theologies

Related Entry: Know-nothings (noun)

Know-nothings is a different word from Know. The synonyms below are for know-nothings, not for know.

  1. a stupid person

    "often disparaged her coworkers as a bunch of know-nothings"

    similar: airheads, birdbrains, blockheads, boneheads, bubbleheads, chowderheads, chuckleheads, clodpolls, clots (British), clucks, clunks, cretins, cuddies (British dialect), deadheads, dim bulbs (slang), dimwits, dips, dodoes, dolts, donkeys, doofuses (slang), dopes, dorks (slang), dullards, dumbbells, dumbheads, dum-dums, dummies, dummkopfs, dunces, dunderheads, fatheads, ganders, golems, goofs, goons, half-wits, hammerheads, hardheads, idiots, ignoramuses, imbeciles, jackasses, knuckleheads, lamebrains, loggerheads (chiefly dialect), loons, lumps, lunkheads, meatheads, momes (archaic), morons, mugs (chiefly British), mutts, nimrods (slang), nincompoops, ninnies, ninnyhammers, nits (chiefly British), nitwits, noddies, noodles, numskulls, oafs, pinheads, prats (British), ratbags (chiefly Australian), sapheads, schlubs (slang), schnooks (slang), simpletons, stocks, stupes, stupids, thickheads, turkeys, woodenheads, yahoos, yo-yos, dumb clucks
    related: boobies, buffoons, fools, geese, loonies, lunatics, madmen, nuts, zanies, losers, gawks, featherbrains, scatterbrains, beasts, boors, cads, churls, clowns, creeps, curs, heels, jerks, skunks, snakes, stinkers, villains
    opposite: brains, geniuses
    near: intellects, intellectuals, sages, thinkers, whizzes, wizards, polymaths, Renaissance men, sharpies

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Know

The most common words with a similar meaning to Know:

Slang: skinny
comprehend, grasp, understand, endure, experience, feel, have, pass, see, suffer, sustain, taste, undergo, witness, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grok, intuit, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, seize, sense, tumble (to)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Know

Words with the opposite meaning of Know:

miss, ignorance, inexperience, innocence, nescience, unfamiliarity

Related Words for Know

fathom, follow, ken, possess, pick up, encounter, meet, accept, receive, digest, absorb, take in, realize, penetrate, pierce

Near Antonyms of Know

misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand, misconstrue, misread, mistake

Word Forms of Know

Inflections: knew, known, knowing

Derived words: knower (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Know

Middle English, from Old English cnāwan; akin to Old High German bichnāan to recognize, Latin gnoscere, noscere to come to know, Greek gignōskein

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Know

Words & Phrases Containing Know

know-all, know from, know-how, know-it-all, know-nothing, know-nothingism, know best

Frequently Asked Questions about Know

What does "Know" mean?

"Know" means to perceive directly, have direct cognition of. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to perceive directly, have direct cognition of. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Know"?

Other words for "Know" include comprehend, grasp, understand, endure, experience, feel, have and pass. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Know" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Know"?

There are 80 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Know". Common alternatives include comprehend, grasp, understand, endure, experience, feel, have, pass, see and suffer.

What is the opposite of "Know"?

Antonyms of "Know" include miss, ignorance, inexperience, innocence, nescience and unfamiliarity. Near antonyms include misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret and misknow.

How do you use "Know" in a sentence?

Examples of "Know" in a sentence: "a career diplomat who knows several languages"; "a fan who really knows baseball"; "knows full well how nerve-racking it can be to speak in public".

Is "Know" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Know" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Know" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Know" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Know"?

"Know" is pronounced /ˈnō/.