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.
The 79-year-old, a well-known fast food fan, emerged from the heart of the White House to take possession of two bags of burgers from a DoorDash employee.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
A well-known face on breakfast TV, Holmes has held a number of broadcasting roles throughout his career, which spans decades.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
It already exists…I think that’s not a very well-known thing.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
Or as the well-known economist and investor Benjamin Graham put it: Investors are often their own worst enemy.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
The well-known face was there: stern, relentless as ever—there was that peculiar eye which nothing could melt, and the somewhat raised, imperious, despotic eyebrow.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
