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knowingness

American  
[noh-ing-nis] / ˈnoʊ ɪŋ nɪs /

noun

  1. the quality of being aware, intelligent, well-informed, or intentional; knowing quality.

  2. the quality of being shrewd, sharp, or astute, or of trying to seem so in a self-conscious way.


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.

The book resonates with a rustic knowingness that coveys the intricacies and suspicions of tightly bound lives.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2024

In Casey, she could also practice the knowingness that makes her such a superb audience surrogate.

From New York Times • Apr. 24, 2023

This knowingness is very maternal, and is cast over all of these characters like a blanket, or like signal fires themselves.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2022

The songs had no intellectual take on the emotions they portrayed, no wry knowingness.

From Washington Post • Nov. 19, 2021

And then I remember that I did the flishing last night and the sprinkling over all the heads the knowingness of the hungry childrens.

From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech