know better

idiom

: 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.

: to know or understand the truth about something

She tried to tell me that it wasn't her fault, but I know better.

: 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 Even if human life is just a result of a big bang, ascendance from a primordial swamp, and billions of years of evolution, doesn’t nature know better? —

Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 June 2024 Many people might think workplace hazards are limited to historical events when people didn’t know better. —

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2024 In a lot of ways, Angie does know better than Tessa, which is a tough pill for Tessa to swallow. —

Michael Schaub, Orange County Register, 3 May 2024 So, while many people blame the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus, and use this as a basis for their antisemitism, true believers know better. —

Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for know better

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'know better.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.