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“Know Of” vs. “Know About”: What’s the Difference?

Jun 13, 2023
Engram
A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “know of” and “know about”

  • The main difference between "know of" and "know about" is the level of familiarity and depth of knowledge.
  • "Know of" suggests a passing or cursory awareness, while "know about" implies a more in-depth understanding.
  • For example, you may know of a celebrity without knowing anything about their personal life or career, while knowing about a subject involves having a deeper understanding of its history, background, or workings.
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What is the definition of “know of” and “know about”?

Know of
  • "Know of" refers to having heard or being aware of the existence of something or someone.
  • The level of familiarity with the thing or person is generally minimal.
  • It does not necessarily involve having any significant knowledge or information about the subject.
Know about
  • "Know about" refers to having a certain amount of knowledge or information about something or someone.
  • The level of familiarity with the subject can be moderate to extensive, depending on the person's experience and expertise.
  • It implies that the person has acquired knowledge through study, research, experience, or general awareness.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Know about” is the more popular variant on the web.
Know of
214,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. 1.. She only knows of him through social media; they've never actually met in person.
  2. I only know of Pete because my teacher always boasts about his art pieces.
  3. Do you know of any good yoga studios in the area?
More popular
Know about
1,580,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Our manager knows about the ins and outs of the company, so you can ask her anything if you have trouble.
  2. Do you know about the new Apple product coming out this year?
  3. I don't know much about cars, but I'm trying to learn.
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