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know-it-all

know-it-all

28 5.7
A person who thinks they are always right and annoys others
  • noun
  • /ˈnoʊ ɪt ɔl/
  • Offensive
translation icon : sabelotodo
  • Kids in his class don't always appreciate Jack's supersmarts; sometimes he acts like a know-it-all.

And the fourth sort of situation, when you're with the know it all narcissist, learn from it.

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Examples

  • At the age when you think you know it all, you judge everything and everyone.

    Blog text (11)
  • - You know, he was, he was always a know-it-all, always acting like he was better than the rest of us.

  • I think it's because she's kind of a know-it-all herself.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • She's such a know-it-all.

  • Samantha was fifteen going on thirty, a know-it-all who didn't take kindly to being treated like a child.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • His constant interruptions made him seem like a know-it-all during the meeting.

  • Everyone finds it hard to engage in conversation with her because she often comes off as a know-it-all.

  • At the party, he acted like a total know-it-all, sharing unsolicited advice on everything.

Synonyms

smarty
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
30 7.7

A person who acts like they know everything and annoys others

annoys more by long opinions and not listening than by cheeky jokes
know-all
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
9 7.7

A person who acts like they have all the answers and won't listen to others

is more about annoying others by not listening and oversharing opinions
smart aleck
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
5 7.5

A person who acts as if they know everything and annoys others

acts certain and opinionated rather than only joking
wiseacre
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
2 9.6

A person who acts as if they know everything and annoys others

annoys mainly by not listening and offering unwanted opinions
clever clogs
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
1 8.5

A person who shows off knowledge and annoys others

focuses more on sharing opinions and not listening than on showing off
wise aleck
vsknow-it-all
  • Offensive
8.1

A person who annoys others by acting like they know everything and making sarcastic remarks

annoys by acting certain and talking rather than by sarcastic jokes

How Confident

know-it-all
  • Offensive
28 5.7
learner
67 1.0
novice
46 3.4

Surface Forms

know-it-all singular
know-it-alls plural

Morphology

know-it-all = know + it + all (transparent) = know + it + all

The meaning is directly derived from the phrase 'know it all'—a person who acts as if they know everything—so learners can readily parse the components.

Etymology

Know-it-all is built from the simple words know and all, literally like someone who 'knows everything'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine a person who always answers and acts as if they 'know it all', which is why the word means an annoying person who behaves like they know everything.