know better
idiom
1
: to be smart or sensible enough not to do something
You walked home alone? Don't you know better (than that)?
She'll know better than to trust them again.
There's no excuse for his behavior. He's old enough to know better.
Don't blame him. He's just a child and he doesn't know (any) better.
2
: to know or understand the truth about something
She tried to tell me that it wasn't her fault, but I know better.
3
: to know or understand more than other people
You can't tell him what to do. He always thinks that he knows better.
Examples of know better in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought that Strong was actually the veteran of the pair, unfazed by the fanfare and the promise of a national semifinal matchup with UCLA in Tampa, Fla., on Friday.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2025
Players who should know better keep making mistakes, showing the coaches have no positive effect.
—Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
Uncle Fred’s life was pristine, no one else better know better!
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
Caps fans know better than anyone that regular-season records don’t mean a thing in the playoffs.
—Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for know better
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Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2025
Players who should know better keep making mistakes, showing the coaches have no positive effect.
—Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
Uncle Fred’s life was pristine, no one else better know better!
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
Caps fans know better than anyone that regular-season records don’t mean a thing in the playoffs.
—Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for know better
Cite this Entry
“Know better.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/know%20better. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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