well-known
Americanadjective
-
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.
After the statement, a well-known photo of Donald Trump, Melania, Epstein, and Maxwell together at an event in the year 2000, standing close and looking awfully cozy, began to circulate online once again.
From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026
“Babylist is really, really well-known by those who use it. But I think we’ve flown under the radar,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Among the company’s well-known products is “League of Legends,” a multiplayer online battle arena video game played daily by millions of people around the world.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
To understand how these environments might support life, she examined three well-known impact sites from different periods in Earth's history.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
The inconvenience of this system in record-keeping is palliated by various devices, for instance reference to well-known events, reigns of kings, dynasties, local lords, etc.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
