well-versed
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of well-versed
First recorded in 1590–1600
Explanation
Well-versed is used to describe someone very familiar with a specific subject, especially one that requires a lot of experience or study. With time, you could be well-versed in legal contracts, animal behavior, or the cake-baking business. Well-versed is really just an intensified version of versed, which means "experienced in or familiar with." It comes from the obsolete word verse meaning "to turn over," so someone who is well-versed in a subject has turned it over and over again in their mind — or maybe they've read a lot of books and turned a lot of pages to study it. The word conversant, which also means "well-informed about," comes from this same root word.
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.
Lloyd trained as a firearms officer after joining South Wales Police following university and Mrs Justice Stacey said she would have been "well-versed" in the importance of health and safety and risk assessments.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
She knew they were fake because she was well-versed in the behavior of the snow-white predators, which are fiercely protective of cubs.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026
But by the late ’70s, Cheech & Chong were well-versed in covertly incorporating social commentary into their act.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026
The luxury hotel is a favourite with the diplomatic jet-set, given its proximity to the United Nations, and is well-versed in hosting sensitive talks behind closed doors.
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
Is Ridge Sabio well-versed in customs and practices of time period?
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
