received

American

[ri-seevd] / rɪˈsivd /

adjective

generally or traditionally accepted; conventional; standard.

a received moral idea.

received British

/ rɪˈsiːvd /

adjective

generally accepted or believed

received wisdom

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

well-received

adjective

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

See Examples For:

received

Eliminating the income-tax cap has received bipartisan support.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

He is a graduate of Yale University, where he received a bachelor's and master's degree in history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

The dispute intensified after the SDU said a revised study protocol had received ethical approval "from the relevant authorities in Guinea-Bissau," which Nantote denied.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026