Omniscient
What it means
Possessing complete knowledge and awareness.
Reach for it when describing a deity or narrator as possessing complete knowledge
An omniscient narrator reveals how each kindness changes the town.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
-
everyday
all-knowing
Fits when a familiar transparent equivalent is best
Careful All-knowing remains an absolute claim.
-
warm
all-wise
Fits when perfect judgment rather than raw knowledge is meant
Careful Wisdom differs from possession of every fact.
-
professional
fully informed
Fits when all relevant available information is known
Careful Being informed is bounded and evidence-dependent.
-
formal
omniperceptive
Fits when universal perception is the quality
Careful Perception does not include every kind of knowledge.
-
literary
clairvoyant
Fits when supernatural perception beyond ordinary senses is intended
Careful Clairvoyance is narrower than total knowledge.
-
literary
godlike in knowledge
Fits when figurative extraordinary knowledge suits the passage
Careful The comparison is grandiose for ordinary expertise.
Opposites 3
- ignorant
- unaware
- fallible
Common phrases 3
-
omniscient narrator
An omniscient narrator reveals each kindness's later effect.
-
seem omniscient
To a young child, the archivist could seem omniscient.
-
omniscient model
A responsible forecaster admits that no omniscient model exists.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Omniscient is literal in theology and a defined narrative viewpoint; elsewhere it is usually deliberate exaggeration.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated