know
verb (used with object)
to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty.
was knowing
-
past progressiveof know.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
He said when caring for his mother, the biggest challenge was "knowing who to speak to" and "dealing with several health bodies", sometimes having to repeat her medical history several times.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
The biggest challenge when she got started using Claude for multistep tasks was knowing the right questions to ask and how to best guide it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Manny Pacquiao’s prolific career made him an easy choice for inclusion into the boxing Hall of Fame even if his only weakness was knowing when to stop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
“I think the hardest part was knowing that my family, if they were alive, they were suffering too.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 19, 2023
The first was knowing I’d need to work smart during my life because I wasn’t going to be able to work hard physically.
From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge
