informed

The word “informed” means having good knowledge of a subject or situation; kept up to date on the facts. In plain terms, knowing the relevant facts before you act or judge.

“Informed” is pronounced ihn-FAWMD (/ɪnˈfɔɹmd/ in IPA).

Here is “informed” used in a sentence: “Voters need to be informed before an election.”

“Informed” is an adjective.

“Informed” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Informed means having good, up-to-date knowledge of a subject, so an informed person understands the facts. Uninformed means lacking that knowledge, often leading to poor judgment. An informed voter has studied the issues; an uninformed one has not. The difference is simply whether the facts are known.

An informed decision is one made after gathering and understanding the relevant facts, options, and likely outcomes. Rather than guessing, you weigh reliable information first. Doctors seek informed consent, for example, by making sure a patient understands a treatment before agreeing to it. Knowledge underpins the whole idea.

The opposite is uninformed or ill-informed, meaning lacking accurate knowledge. Related opposites include ignorant, unaware, and clueless, which all describe missing the facts. Where an informed person keeps up with the details, these words describe someone acting without the information they need.