knowing
Americanadjective
-
affecting, implying, or deliberately revealing shrewd knowledge of secret or private information.
a knowing glance.
- Synonyms:
- perceptive, eloquent, significant, meaningful
-
shrewd, sharp, or astute.
-
conscious; intentional; deliberate.
adjective
-
suggesting secret information or knowledge
-
wise, shrewd, or clever
-
deliberate; intentional
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of knowing
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English knawynge (earlier knowende, knawande ); equivalent to know 1 + -ing 2
Explanation
Something that's knowing is sneakily wise or perceptive. A knowing smile conveys a lot of information — it implies that you know a secret or are in on some background information. Picture Mona Lisa. A knowing glance tells its recipient that you've got them figured out or that you're aware of something they haven't shared with many people. You can use this adjective to simply mean "having knowledge" or "intentional" too, as when someone makes a knowing purchase of stolen goods. The noun version of knowing is also simple, meaning "the state of having knowledge or being aware."
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.
There is no knowing when the music will stop for the stock market and the AI trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
She told the BBC that her sister had "loved the water so much" despite knowing there was an "elevated shark presence in East London".
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
“I was getting so many people reaching out to me, DMs and emails, from women just not knowing what to do and not knowing how to get through this and where to turn,” Laura says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Norm was generally very private, and the idea of the whole world knowing he was sick was probably not something he wanted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
I say this knowing it’s likely a promise I won’t be able to keep, but I need to get her off my back.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
