well-known

adjective

ˈwel-ˈnōn How to pronounce well-known (audio)
Definition of well-knownnext
as in famous
widely known an anchorwoman so well-known that she passes for a local celebrity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of well-known Because of the family’s involvement in the Hispanic community, Juanito was well-known, says Orta, who met with them last week and made sure there were resource pamphlets available at the young man’s wake. — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 Pan, who teaches public health at UC Davis, served in the California Legislature for 10 years and became well-known for pushing bills to crack down on school vaccine requirements. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Now that Posen is all grown up, his role leading some of America’s most beloved and well-known fashion brands comes with a sense of duty. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026 His reputation is so strong and his advice so well-known that some memes on the forum ironically joke about doing the opposite, with a picture of Buffett suggesting that everyone freak out and sell in a panic. — Josh Funk, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for well-known
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-known
  1. famous
  2. famed
  3. prominent
  4. celebrated
  5. renowned
  6. notorious
Adjective
  • The Wat Po Deluxe rooms, which face away from the river, actually give you a very striking, colorful view of tropical plants and the intricate, tiled chedis of this famous temple complex.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The famous colleagues who’ve shown up for the open bar and Louis gift bags don’t add much.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of famous
Adjective
  • Designed by Yabu Pushelberg, the famed hospitality design studio, interiors take inspiration from Easy Rider and the mythology of the American road trip.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • During the famed 1969 Apollo 11 mission, Hamilton’s software overrode an errant attempt to swap the flight computer’s primary processing to a radar system.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of famed
Adjective
  • The Blocks are a prominent Hamburg family best known for their popular national steakhouse chain Block House.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Being able to recruit a prominent voice cast that includes Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston also helped the film travel.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of prominent
Adjective
  • Now the sports outlet is likely to tamp down on costs by parting ways with the celebrated color commentator.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This year, the event will once again feature panels, thought-provoking conversations, roundtables, networking opportunities and activations, along with the celebrated Billboard En Vivo performances.
    — Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebrated
Adjective
  • Kevin Kwan created an irresistible world filled with the perfect blend of glitz, humor, and heart, and the talented Adele Lim returns to adapt this renowned tale for a new television audience.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Godrich — renowned for his work with Radiohead, Beck, and Paul McCartney, along with playing in Atoms for Peace with Thom Yorke and Flea — was looking to step back a bit.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of renowned
Adjective
  • Since then, the once-notorious prison closed its death chamber and Newsom has upheld it as a model of rehabilitation.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This blob of exceptionally warm water formed by spinning off of the Gulf’s Loop Current that is notorious for boosting hurricane strength.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of notorious

Browse Nearby Words

welling (up)
well-known
well-meaning
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Cite this Entry

“Well-known.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-known. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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