unknowing

adjective

ˌən-ˈnō-iŋ How to pronounce unknowing (audio)
Definition of unknowingnext
1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment those unknowing people who think that the world is a kindly place are in for a rude awakening

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unaware
not informed about or aware of something the poor woman has been the unknowing target of some pretty vicious gossip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unknowing As such, when Mia brings an innocent, unknowing stranger back to her apartment and begins to torture him, Dexter— witnessing the events unfold from across the street — calls authorities and Mia is arrested. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 From around January to June 2022, the couple tricked unknowing subordinates into adding fake vendors to the company's system, officials said. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026 But the scale of the production design challenge was in building spaces that would appear seamless but allow the crew to always track Norman and adjust the frame in order to spotlight the show’s unknowing hero — over almost 300,000 square feet. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026 That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie. — Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unknowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknowing
  1. naive
  2. unaware
  3. innocent
  4. ignorant
  5. unsuspecting
  6. oblivious
  7. simple
  8. inexperienced
Adjective
  • The cyclical reality awaiting ‘naive capital’ Allianz is far from the only insurer to have prospered through recent upheavals.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
  • But performing fealty to that naïve and impoverished picture of judging had become nearly de rigueur for both liberals and conservatives.
    — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • Many know the story of Lewis and Clark, but are unaware that the tale involved so much more than these two pioneers.
    — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Despite their value, research suggests that many eligible individuals remain unaware of them.
    — Diane Winiarski, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of unaware
Adjective
  • All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • That law predates the much wider United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which took effect in 1994, giving ships the right of innocent passage through any country's territorial waters without paying a fee.
    — Joanne Stocker, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • Let’s hope that George Santayana’s warning to those ignorant of history about the past repeating itself makes an exception for our present Defense Department.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
  • And then there are amateur collectors like me, who might not know ironstone from porcelain, but whose last day on earth could be spent touching old objects in ignorant bliss.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2026
Definition of ignorant
Adjective
  • Legend has it that when an unsuspecting new man on the paper’s composing desk left out the agate type one day there were lots of problems for bettors and bookies across the city.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026
  • The Better Business Bureau says scammers are targeting renters and unsuspecting home sellers through sophisticated online schemes that have grown a lot over the years.
    — T.J. Anthony, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of unsuspecting
Adjective
  • But for another two and a half years, it’s stuck with a boss who often seems oblivious to customer concerns.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The Street loves the latter model, the public loves the former, and is oblivious to the dichotomy.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 June 2026
Definition of oblivious
Adjective
  • As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
    — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Immer and Lois work with land stewards to find projects that make sense for eager but often inexperienced volunteers.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of inexperienced

Browse Nearby Words

unknowable
unknowing
unknowingly
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Cite this Entry

“Unknowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknowing. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unknowing for Spanish Speakers

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