without our knowing

USAGE SUMMARY

"without our knowing" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You could use it to describe a situation in which something took place but no one had previously been aware of it. For example: "The fire was extinguished without our knowing, thanks to the quick response from the fire department."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Did she somehow buy the place without our knowing it?

The New Yorker

That June, the house was demolished without our knowing it.

The New Yorker

"Paul makes the point that digital technology has subliminal effects that operate without our knowing".

The New York Times - Arts

"By its very nature," she said, "it can happen again without our knowing about it".

The New York Times

"If it was done, it was done without our knowing," said Jay Horwitz, the Mets' spokesman.

The New York Times

Because we weren't paying attention to them, they were able to pay attention to us without our knowing it.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

"These companies are proposing to tear up the pine barrens without our even knowing if these pipelines are needed," he said.

The New York Times

They have power over their businesses and one aspect of politics or another and they may impact our ideas and styles, but they are not in positions to change our lives without our even knowing it or having any control.

Forbes

Without our "all knowing" power, our child would surely fall through the cracks into a world of accidents, bad grades and crime.

Huffington Post

The psychological term often used to describe this handling of emotion is repression, the blocking of emotions from awareness, without our even knowing we are blocking it.

Huffington Post

And so, without our even knowing it, at some unnoticed point in the past few decades, these glaciers on the Amundsen Sea quietly crossed over their tipping point and began their inexorable decline.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "without our knowing" to clearly indicate that an action or event occurred without the subject's awareness or consent. For emphasis, position it at the beginning or end of the sentence.

Common error

Avoid using "without our knowing" when the lack of knowledge only applies to a subset of the group. Be precise about who lacked the knowledge.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without our knowing" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating a lack of awareness or knowledge concerning an action or event. Ludwig AI examples show its use in various contexts to express that something occurred unbeknownst to the subject.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "without our knowing" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig, indicating a lack of awareness regarding an event. It functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to add a sense of inadvertence or secrecy. As evidenced by the examples, it appears most commonly in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts and holds a slightly formal register. Related phrases include "unbeknownst to us" and "without us realizing", offering alternative ways to express a similar lack of awareness. Remember to use "without our knowing" when you want to be clear that an event occurred without the subject's knowledge or consent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

without our awareness

Emphasizes the absence of conscious perception.

without us realizing

Focuses on the lack of awareness during the event.

without our notice

Emphasizes that it was not noticed by us.

without our perception

Highlights the absence of active observation.

unbeknownst to us

More formal and literary, emphasizing the hidden nature of the action.

without our being informed

Highlights a lack of communication or notification.

unawares

A concise, slightly archaic alternative.

imperceptibly to us

Focuses on the subtle nature of the event, making it difficult to notice.

without our apprehension

More formal, indicating a lack of understanding or anticipation.

behind our backs

Suggests secrecy or hidden actions.

FAQs

How can I use "without our knowing" in a sentence?

You can use "without our knowing" to indicate that something happened without the knowledge or awareness of a group. For example, "The decision was made "without our knowing"."

What phrases are similar to "without our knowing"?

Alternatives include "unbeknownst to us", "without us realizing", or "without our awareness". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "without me knowing"?

Yes, "without me knowing" is grammatically correct and conveys the same meaning as "without my knowing", though the latter is considered more formal. Similarly, "without our knowing" is correct for a plural subject.

What is the difference between "without our knowing" and "without us realizing"?

While both phrases indicate a lack of awareness, "without our knowing" focuses on the absence of information, whereas "without us realizing" emphasizes the lack of comprehension or recognition. In many contexts, they are interchangeable.