1
2
a
: to be aware of the truth or factuality of : be convinced or certain of
b
: to have a practical understanding of
knows how to write
3
archaic
: to have sexual intercourse with
1
: to have knowledge
2
: to be or become cognizant
—sometimes used interjectionally with you especially as a filler in informal speech
Phrases
know from
: to have knowledge of
didn't know from sibling rivalry—
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
: in possession of exclusive knowledge or information
broadly
: well-informed
Synonyms
Examples of know in a Sentence
Verb
He knows a lot about the history of the town.
Do you know the answer?
I don't know her name.
Do you know what time it is?
I don't know the words to that song.
They knew a good deal about the problem.
She knows the rules of the game.
If you want the answer, ask someone who knows.
I don't know much about art, but I know what I like.
She knows that many people will not believe her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for being a rabble-rouser in Congress, has a law degree and briefly practiced law in Florida before entering politics, but has never worked as a prosecutor.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Teresa Romero Martínez, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2024
That’s a pretty big team of people in the know in some way or another.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for know 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Hoping that Brendan would find it in his heart to spare her husband’s life, and knowing that the IRA was bound to discover his double-identity sooner rather than later, Kathleen confesses to Brendan.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for being a rabble-rouser in Congress, has a law degree and briefly practiced law in Florida before entering politics, but has never worked as a prosecutor.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Noun
The ultimate early-aughts sneaker trend has captivated those in the know like Jennifer Lawrence.
—Teresa Romero Martínez, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2024
That’s a pretty big team of people in the know in some way or another.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for know
Dictionary Entries Near know
Cite this Entry
“Know.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/know. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
know
1 of 2 verb1
a
: to have understanding of
know yourself
b
: to recognize the nature of
knew them to be honest
2
a
: to recognize the identity of
knew me by my walk
b
: to be acquainted or familiar with
knows the city very well
3
a
: to be aware of the truth of
know that the earth is round
b
: to have a practical understanding of
knows how to write
4
: to have information or knowledge
ask someone who knows
5
: to be or become aware
knew about the problem
know
2 of 2 noun
: the fact of knowing : knowledge
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