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.
In 2006, O'Brien received £300,000 in a settlement with South Wales Police.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
Shalom received his rabbinic ordination from the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
But in October 2008 at the height of the global economic turmoil fueled by America’s home mortgage meltdown, Greenspan appeared on Capitol Hill to a reception entirely different from the adulation he received while chairman.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
"Many of the votes that Abelardo received are not genuine," Isabella Giraldo, who works in her family business, told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
Miss Genovese nods in recognition; she received the message even if she didn’t return it.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
