well-known
Americanadjective
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clearly or fully known.
The well-known reasons are obvious.
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generally or widely known.
a well-known painting.
- Synonyms:
- celebrated, noted, famous, prominent
adjective
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widely known; famous; celebrated
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known fully or clearly
Etymology
Origin of well-known
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75
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.
Researchers led by Suketu Patel put several leading AI models through a well-known psychology experiment called the Stroop task.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Nestlé is exploring selling well-known brands, including sparkling-water company San Pellegrino and the rest of its stake in ice cream maker Häagen-Dazs.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The city has long been home to acts that sought inspiration from nearly every bin in the record shop—the cinematic trip-hop outfit Portishead is the most well-known example.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Fujimori is one of the most well-known figures in Peruvian politics, and this is her fourth time running for office.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Branwell’s dad, Dr. Stefan Zamborska, is a well-known geneticist.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
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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.