known
Americanverb
noun
verb
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of known
First recorded in 1300–50, for the adjective
Explanation
Something known is something people are aware of or know about. Don’t ask a known thief to walk your dog while you’re out of town, especially if she is known as the “Poodle Poacher.” When you know something, it’s in your memory and awareness. When something is known, you know it! Technically, known is the past participle of know. Cigarettes are known to cause cancer. Martin Luther King is known as a hero to Americans. Cassius Clay is known as Muhammad Ali. If you stay out late and get in trouble, you should’ve known better. Something known is established, and people don't have reason to doubt it.
Vocabulary lists containing known
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jennifer An, a former contestant on America's Next Top Model, is suing the rapper, now known as Ye, over an encounter she alleges took place in 2010.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Hasley was formerly married to actor Robin Riker, best known for her roles on “Brothers” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
"These additives suggest the link between diet and cognitive function extends beyond just missing out on foods known as healthy, pointing to mechanisms linked to the degree of food processing itself."
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
On the other side are companies including OpenAI, which have had discussions with administration officials about the importance of the center, known as CAISI, and preserving its power, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Brickbane was the wisest soul Clare had ever known.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
