best of my knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "best of my knowledge" is not correct; it should be "to the best of my knowledge." You can use it when you want to express that the information you are providing is accurate to the extent of what you know.
Example: "To the best of my knowledge, the meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

W: To the best of my knowledge, that's correct.

The New Yorker

"To the best of my knowledge, no one ever did".

The New York Times

Then he added, "to the best of my knowledge".

The New York Times

To the best of my knowledge he lives in Virginia.

The New Yorker

"To the best of my knowledge it is not him.

The Guardian

To the best of my knowledge, that hasnot happened.

The New York Times

To the best of my knowledge, my father never tried.

The New York Times - Magazine

BILFINGER: To the best of my knowledge, no.

Yale University

I did not do anything that was, to the best of my knowledge, wrong or illegal.

The New York Times

To the best of my knowledge, not a single 1 percenter lives in my neighborhood.

The New York Times

"To the best of my knowledge she went back to her mother in Chicago".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the complete phrase "to the best of my knowledge" for grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid saying just "best of my knowledge". The correct and widely accepted phrase is "to the best of my knowledge". Omitting "to" renders the phrase grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "best of my knowledge" functions as an introductory phrase or disclaimer. However, it is grammatically incomplete. The complete and correct form, "to the best of my knowledge," prefaces a statement to indicate the speaker's limited certainty. Ludwig's wrap up indicates that the correct phrase must be used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Academia

21%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

13%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "best of my knowledge" might seem like a common phrase, it's technically incorrect. The correct and accepted form is "to the best of my knowledge". This introductory phrase indicates that you are providing information that you believe to be accurate, but acknowledge that there might be limitations to your knowledge. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's important to include the preposition "to" for grammatical correctness. It is very used in News and Media and Academia. Remember to use alternatives like "as far as I know" or "to my understanding" if appropriate for your context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to the best of my understanding

Replaces "knowledge" with "understanding", emphasizing comprehension rather than just information.

based on my current knowledge

Explicitly states the reliance on present knowledge.

as far as I know

More informal and direct, indicating a lack of awareness to the contrary.

to the extent of my knowledge

Highlights the limitations of one's knowledge on the matter.

to my understanding

A shorter, more concise version of "to the best of my understanding".

to my recollection

Focuses on memory and recall rather than general knowledge.

as I understand it

Indicates the speaker's interpretation or grasp of a situation.

if I remember correctly

Highlights the possibility of imperfect recall or memory.

from what I can tell

Suggests a judgment based on available evidence or observation.

according to my information

Emphasizes the information one possesses as the basis for the statement.

FAQs

How do I properly use the phrase "to the best of my knowledge" in a sentence?

Begin your statement with "to the best of my knowledge," followed by the information you believe to be accurate. For example: "To the best of my knowledge, the meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday."

What can I say instead of "to the best of my knowledge"?

You can use alternatives like "as far as I know", "to my understanding", or "if I remember correctly" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "best of my knowledge" or "to the best of my knowledge"?

"To the best of my knowledge" is the grammatically correct and widely accepted form. "Best of my knowledge" is considered incorrect.

What's the difference between "to the best of my knowledge" and "to my recollection"?

"To the best of my knowledge" refers to the entirety of one's understanding about a subject, while "to my recollection" specifically refers to what one remembers about a past event.