Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

well-known

American  
[wel-nohn] / ˈwɛlˈnoʊn /

adjective

  1. clearly or fully known.

    The well-known reasons are obvious.

  2. generally or widely known.

    a well-known painting.

    Synonyms:
    celebrated, noted, famous, prominent

well-known British  

adjective

  1. widely known; famous; celebrated

  2. known fully or clearly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Their approach uses high-dimensional encoding and is based on a well-known optical phenomenon called the Talbot effect.

From Science Daily

Block is well-known as the founder and chief executive officer of Muddy Waters Capital, a hedge fund and investment research firm, with a string of successful bearish bets to his name.

From MarketWatch

He's a well-known figure, and was trusted with a key slot when he replaced Ken Bruce.

From BBC

“Be greedy when others are fearful” is one half of one of Warren Buffett’s most well-known investing maxims.

From Barron's

From independent cafes to restaurants and shopping centres, an increasing amount of retailers are taking the leap in welcoming furry friends, including well-known brands Ikea, John Lewis, Zara, H&M and Lush.

From BBC