Ken

A noun and a verb with its root in Old English, 'ken' primarily signifies the range of one's knowledge, understanding, or perception; specifically, the limits of one's mental capacity to grasp or comprehend a particular subject or situation. As a verb, it means to know or recognize, often implying a distant or indistinct recognition or understanding, a perception of something, or a glimpse of truth. It can also describe a person or animal knowing something through their sense or by their behavior.

Ken meaning with examples

• Despite years of studying, the complexities of quantum physics remained beyond her ken. She found the intricate equations and theories hard to grasp. Despite reading, she just wasn't able to comprehend the content or intricacies of the subject matter, leaving her feeling puzzled by how much more there was to know.
• The seasoned detective, with his extensive experience, had a wide ken regarding criminal behavior. His keen understanding of human psychology and criminal procedures allowed him to solve complex cases, often even catching his perpetrators off guard. He was able to see through their lies, and his ken, made him an invaluable asset.
• From across the crowded room, he immediately kened her; her unique scarf and bright red coat were unmistakable. He had been looking for her all afternoon, with all his senses on high alert. His previous conversations made her familiar and memorable, allowing for instant recognition and familiarity.
• The elderly sage, residing in the isolated mountain, could ken the subtle shifts in the weather patterns, predicting storms days in advance. His deep understanding of nature enabled him to notice the minor changes that signaled coming events. He had years of observation under his belt, giving him a keen understanding.
• Her art critic's words and language, with its extensive use of symbolism, lay beyond my ken, leaving me confused. Her artistic abilities and vocabulary were advanced and difficult for a common person to understand. The complexity of the vocabulary, coupled with the deep meaning behind each word made it difficult to decipher.
• The artist's work was full of symbolism and allusions. The use of a specific word could be beyond the ken of a first-time reader, however, an art critic would easily notice the symbolism.
• Although the code seemed to be simple, it required an advanced understanding of coding. The level of comprehension and skill needed lay beyond the programmer's ken.
• The lawyer worked tirelessly on his case, hoping to win the case. He thought the other party would understand his position, and would know better, however, the facts were beyond their ken. The other party did not understand the seriousness of the situation.
• The child's understanding of the complexities of politics was beyond their ken. Their innocence and ignorance of these matters, made the parent's attempts to explain it, futile.
• A biologist kened the creature by its behaviors. He observed its tendencies, and quickly identified what it was. All the observations helped in correctly identifying and understanding the characteristics of the species.