Phrase guide

it's not what you know but who you know

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 識人好過識字 /识人好过识字 (sik1 jan4 hou2 gwo3 sik1 zi6) — Translations
  • Italian: non è importante cosa conosci ma chi conosci — Translations
  • Spanish: quien a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija — Translations