well-known
Americanadjective
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clearly or fully known.
The well-known reasons are obvious.
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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.
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
A well-known 300-million-year-old fossil once believed to be the oldest octopus ever discovered has been reclassified after new analysis revealed it is something entirely different.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
A New York-based digital media company, Arena operated such well-known titles as Men’s Journal, Parade and TheStreet.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
The benefits to working people here are well-known.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
And at least two well-known scientists, the astronomer Ernst Öpik and the chemist and Nobel laureate Harold Urey, had also voiced support for the notion at various times.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
