received
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of received
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; receive + -ed 2
Explanation
Received is an adjective that refers to something that is largely accepted as true or good. It’s also the past participle of the verb receive. If you rely on received wisdom, you might not ever come up with an original idea. Received, meaning “generally accepted as true or worthy,” was first recorded in the fifteenth century as the past participle adjective of receive, a verb meaning “accept.” So, that which has been accepted, has been received, or noted as correct or good. More specifically, received can be used to refer to established truths, like that failing to drink enough water can lead to dehydration. It's one of those words that actually follows the rule "i before e except after c."
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.
Haitian immigrants across the country received an eleventh-hour relief Friday as the government extended work authorizations for Haitians with temporary protected status.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
When deaths are registered with the review, it looks into the person's life, the healthcare they received, their cause of death and whether anything could have been done differently.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Chace, a historian and writer on American statecraft, argues in “1912” that “had the charismatic Roosevelt received the Republican nomination, he almost surely would have won.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Bassist Anan "Tor" Prasert, 37, said he received minor burns but escaped the blaze relatively quickly -- with his bass guitar still slung over his shoulder.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
The sisters received requests to appear around the state and into Kentucky throughout the summer of 1851.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
