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
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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.
Though Porter became well-known for her blunt questioning of witnesses in Congress, her brusque style has not translated to broad support in California’s 2026 governor’s race.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
She also noted that Alexa, having been around for roughly a decade, was a well-known name under Amazon.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Some of the buildings include the city's well-known hotels - such as the listed India Buildings on Victoria Street, which are leased to Virgin Hotels - as well as 12 properties on Princes Street.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
It’s home to well-known spacecraft like the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
In the Boston Gazette, Paul Revere, a well-known silversmith—and a Son of Liberty—published a poem, along with a drawing showing a British officer raising his sword to order his soldiers to fire on the crowd.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
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.
