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.
I say that knowing what I know, I’m confident giving this to my kids.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
The French soccer federation first contacted him in early 2025, knowing that Deschamps would leave his post after this summer’s World Cup in North America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"It's nice knowing that if anything were to happen, I would just go back to how life was before," she says.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
And if there’s any comfort that I have, it’s in knowing that there are right decisions to make and that I’m going to make them, and I’m going to help others make them, too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
I tremble, knowing Caesar and I are both without hope.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
