Knowingly
What it means
With conscious awareness of what one is doing or implying.
Reach for it when making clear that an action or expression was not accidental
He knowingly accepted the harder route because it protected the wetland.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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playful
slyly
Fits when private amusement or cunning shapes expression
Careful Slyly adds secrecy and possible manipulation.
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everyday
Fits when the action was chosen for a purpose
Careful Deliberately proves intention; knowingly may only prove awareness.
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warm
Fits when a gesture conveys understood significance
Careful Meaningfully does not establish responsibility for an action.
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professional
consciously
Fits when active awareness accompanied the choice
Careful Consciously can sound clinical when responsibility is the point.
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professional
Fits when the outcome itself was meant
Careful Someone may accept an outcome knowingly without causing it intentionally.
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formal
wittingly
Fits when a legal contrast with unwitting action is useful
Careful Wittingly is uncommon and may distract readers.
Opposites 3
- unknowingly
- accidentally
- innocently
Common phrases 3
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knowingly accepted
She knowingly accepted a slower process to protect the archive.
-
knowingly smiled
The grandfather knowingly smiled as the children found the drawer.
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acted knowingly
The panel acted knowingly after every conflict was disclosed.
Word family 1
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated