well-known
Americanadjective
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clearly or fully known.
The well-known reasons are obvious.
-
generally or widely known.
a well-known painting.
- Synonyms:
- celebrated, noted, famous, prominent
adjective
-
widely known; famous; celebrated
-
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.
It’s less well-known that this tendency exists only when the crowd is large and diverse and not dominated by a few whales.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Widdecombe, 78, was a well-known former Conservative minister who was serving as one of the leading spokeswomen for the anti-immigration party Reform UK.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Although the myth still appears today, including in some well-known sources identified by the study, the researchers found that news coverage has become increasingly accurate since 2015.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
Downtown’s troubles are well-known; what exactly to do about them is still being decided.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
There was a pet stag belonging to a Latin farmer, a beautiful creature, so tame that it would run free by day, but at nightfall always come to the well-known door.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
