know-how
Americannoun
noun
-
ingenuity, aptitude, or skill; knack
-
commercial and saleable knowledge of how to do a particular thing; experience
Etymology
Origin of know-how
1830–40, noun use of verb phrase know how
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pressure to shift toward AI may strip out the human know-how of today’s younger workers.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
She sees her straight talk and government know-how as assets once voters focus.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
Mechanics must be certified to work safely around that high-voltage battery, and must have the know-how to deal with the complexity of these new computers on wheels, she adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Moreover, the conflict is becoming more drawn out, and even if it subsides there is a risk of an instable resolution where Iranian nuclear material and know-how leaks out to hostile groups around the Gulf.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
Nearly a decade would pass before the United States regained the know-how or the will to launch espionage operations on Russian soil.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
