WELL-KNOWN Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

well-known

adjective

ˈwel-ˈnōn

Definition of well-known

as in famous

widely known an anchorwoman so well-known that she passes for a local celebrity

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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 Granger’s trailblazing life is well-known, but her son JD Granger, speaking on behalf of his siblings Brandon Granger and Chelsea Hughes, paid tribute to his mother with accounts of her everyday life. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026 For Simpson, part of her role is helping those parents reconnect with a sense of normalcy away from the expectations that come with being well-known. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026 Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel Gone With the Wind introduced us to Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler in a tale that remains one of the most well-known for American readers almost a hundred years later. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 While Nixon wasn’t well-known nationally, her background as a union organizer, and as executive director for Florida For All, a voter recruitment nonprofit, helped her marshal a statewide network of campaign supporters. — Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for well-known

Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-known

Adjective

Travis This name is perfect for fans of the Super Bowl-winning tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce (or his famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift).

— Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
New York’s famous once clamored for co-ops, where tenants are shareholders with equity rather than individual owners of their apartments outright.

— Bridget Read, Curbed, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of famous

Adjective

That’s significant because Ross is a descendant of John Ross (also July), the famed leader of the Cherokee Nation in 1835 who vehemently was against the Ridges’ position to leave their homeland.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
The famed Big 5 (elephants, buffalos, leopards, rhinos, and lions) are all easily spotted in these lands, but the diverse habitats provide opportunities for different behavioral sightings, from feeding to bathing and mating.

— Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of famed

Adjective

Among the prominent figures was Tobias Adrian, Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department at the International Monetary Fund.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
The movement thereafter played a prominent role in protests across the United States and in other countries, particularly in the wake of the murders of Eric Garner in 2014 and George Floyd in 2020.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of prominent

Adjective

As the world waits for new music from the superstar, who has not delivered an album in a decade, one of the singer’s most celebrated pieces of work reaches a special milestone.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Bardem plays Miguel, a celebrated architect tempted by a morally dubious but hugely lucrative commission to build a secret survivalist bunker for a reclusive tech billionaire, Andrew (Paul Dano).

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of celebrated

Adjective

Greenspan was renowned for his formidable data-crunching capabilities, sharp reading of market psychology, and subtle, often elusive communication style.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
The collection, which translated her mental health battles into a universal visual language, became her largest and most renowned body of work.

— Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of renowned

Browse Nearby Words

welling (up)

well-known

well-meaning

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Cite this Entry

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“Well-known.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-known. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of well-known

adjective

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