Knowing and Understanding

Knowing

Knowing noun - A clear and certain mental apprehension.

Understanding and knowing are semantically related in knowledge topic. In some cases you can use "Understanding" instead the word "Knowing" as a noun or an adjective.

Nearby Words: know, known, knowingly

Understanding

Understanding noun - The cognitive condition of someone who understands.
Usage example: he has virtually no understanding of social cause and effect

Knowing and understanding are semantically related in knowledge topic. Sometimes you can use "Knowing" instead the word "Understanding" as a noun or an adjective, if it concerns topics such as comprehension.

Both words in one sentence

  • Series / Yes, Minister One of Jim Hacker's main problems is merely knowing and understanding the issues.
  • Otherwise, people in China speak a large family of languages sufficiently dissimilar that knowing one doesn't help in understanding another.
    Source: Common Tongue
  • Mayincatec In fact, knowing what those words mean in Aztec thought is essential for even understanding the story.
    Source: Mayincatec
Cite this Source
Understanding and Knowing. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/knowing/understanding
Knowing & Understanding. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/knowing/understanding>.
Understanding or Knowing. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/knowing/understanding.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "knowing" and "understanding" have occurred on timeline