Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

knowing

/ˈnoʊɪŋ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.76 in modern English

Syllables: know-ing
IPA: /ˈnoʊɪŋ/

15

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Possessing knowledge or understanding; knowledgeable, intelligent.

adj

Deliberate, wilful.

adj

Shrewd or showing clever awareness; discerning.

adj

Demonstrating knowledge of what is in fashion; stylish, chic.

Archaic

adj

Suggestive of private knowledge or understanding.

prep

Given my knowledge about someone or something.

verb

present participle and gerund of know

noun

The act or condition of having knowledge.

Example Sentences

"The knowing and intelligent part of the world."
"a knowing rascal"
"‘I was a raw boy from College, and fancied it very knowing to marry a girl that all the young fellows of my acquaintance reckoned so confounded handsome.’"
"Tom thought his cap a very knowing affair, but confessed that he had a hat in his hat-box; which was accordingly at once extracted from the hind-boot, and Tom equipped in his go-to-meeting roof, as his new friend called it."
"Jon and Tyrion greet each other with the words that have been used against them as weapons, sharing a knowing smile."
"As family entertainment, it’s all perfectly fine. There are plenty of callbacks to the original to delight young fans (including a catchy new song from Shakira’s Gazelle) and plenty of knowing jokes for the adults in the audience."

Etymology

From know + -ing.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈnoʊɪŋ/
British English: /ˈnəʊɪŋ/

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

more knowing (comparative) most knowing (superlative) knowings (plural)

Derived Forms

foreknowing knowingly knowingness overknowing unknowing

Phrases

all-knowing self-knowing

Synonyms

knowful knowledgeable learned lettered well-educated well-read wise wise to

Rhymes With

going growing showing throwing blowing flowing boeing glowing owing slowing undergoing sewing

Questions

How do you pronounce knowing?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnoʊɪŋ/.
What does knowing mean?: Possessing knowledge or understanding; knowledgeable, intelligent.
Where does knowing come from?: From know + -ing.

How to pronounce knowing

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “knowing”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnoʊɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “knowing”.
Repeat and practice — Say “knowing” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.