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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of unknowing
Was this teacher an unknowing servant of the patriarchy, as Kara Cooney would argue, or a naïve propagandist of the oil industry, as Riggs herself comes to believe?
—
Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2022
Obviously, Beth’s unknowing sterilization was a tragic event, a violation of bodily autonomy that nobody should go through.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2021
Their names and emails can then be used by bad actors to target them in various email schemes that can harm unknowing customers.
—Daniel Barber, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2021
Cybercriminals sent phishing emails to millions of users hoping an unknowing individual would open the malicious document.
—Jonathan Fischbein, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for unknowing
Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2022
Obviously, Beth’s unknowing sterilization was a tragic event, a violation of bodily autonomy that nobody should go through.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2021
Their names and emails can then be used by bad actors to target them in various email schemes that can harm unknowing customers.
—Daniel Barber, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2021
Cybercriminals sent phishing emails to millions of users hoping an unknowing individual would open the malicious document.
—Jonathan Fischbein, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for unknowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknowing
Adjective
-
Even a naive analysis, one that buys into some very obvious Republican budget tricks, finds that this bill cuts taxes and raises spending by $4 trillion over 10 years — but only pays for about $1.7 trillion of that.—
Ezra Klein,
Mercury News,
28 May 2025
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In the film's early scenes, Cruise displays a naive, unwavering patriotism that seamlessly meshed with the actor's military heroics in Top Gun three years earlier — which makes Kovic's stark transition to impassioned anti-war advocacy all the more surprising in the runtime's second half.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
The good news about season 3 taking us back in time is that many of those characters are likely to return, unaware of the grisly fates awaiting them.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
4 June 2025
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Many of these students and their families were unaware of their full mathematical potential.—
Julia Brodsky,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Loew was made the mark in a kind of confidence game, Schulberg recalls, with Thalberg and Mayer putting on a show of activity at the failing Louis B. Mayer Productions that nonetheless impressed the Hollywood innocent.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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To insinuate yourself into someone’s life, the biggest manipulators act like the most innocent victims.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Less prescient was her claim—ignorant in exactly the way of so many white feminists throughout history—that racial oppression would be solved once gender was abolished.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
-
The provision prohibiting states from regulating AI for the next 10 years is unconscionably ignorant and dangerous.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Track what brings business Your process on LinkedIn is simple.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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White is easy, simple, and many times, the best choice for a clean slate.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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But here’s the other risk: Chasers, especially novices, often stop abruptly on the side - or even middle - of a 70-mph highway, open their car doors to get out and cluelessly snap photos, oblivious to other chasers who may be barreling down behind them.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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There always seemed to be a little girl oblivious to everything but the cartoons.—
Mark Kriegel
June 4,
Literary Hub,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Three of McConnell’s five steals came via what’s become his signature play — lurking in the backcourt and taking advantage of unsuspecting and/or lazy inbounds passes for turnovers.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
12 June 2025
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But that news hadn’t spread to dozens of unsuspecting immigrants who arrived at the court for court hearings, citizenship tests and work.—
Rebecca-Ann Jattan,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unknowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknowing. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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