: fully or widely known

Examples of well-known in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Today, the two are viewed as reputable individuals who embrace emerging designers and those who are also well-known. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 29 Apr. 2024 But for now, nothing big to report. Keep an eye on the Arizona Cardinals, the Minnesota Vikings, the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, the last of which was well-known for trading down in the draft under its former coach Bill Belichick. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024 Like Pearsall, Rosengarten is a player who was well-known in college but started the draft process generally overlooked. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024 Love also later added a pig limo and a duck limo to his lineup, but the most well-known were always the chickens. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Apr. 2024 Although Jacobs is well-known for his electric guitar playing and rock & roll stage aesthetic, putting together a bluegrass album isn’t something out of left field. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2024 Wally is well-known for his college hockey work, and grandson Jason has been the play-by-play voice of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves for more than a decade. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2024 But that’s absolutely fine when the story is so well-known and the numbers are so show-stopping. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2024 Osprey backpacks are well-known for their top-notch performance and lasting durability. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'well-known.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of well-known was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near well-known

Cite this Entry

“Well-known.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-known. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

well-known

adjective
ˈwel-ˈnōn
: known by many people

More from Merriam-Webster on well-known

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!