well-known
3 antonyms and opposites of well-known, grouped by meaning.
Adjective — Known about by a lot of people; familiar to the public or to a particular group.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Known about by a lot of people; familiar to the public or to a particular group.
“He is a well-known face on local television.”
Opposites
2. adjective
Widely accepted or established as fact.
“It is a well-known problem with older models.”
Antonyms
How to use well-known
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; safe in both formal and casual writing.
Etymology
From Middle English well knowen. By surface analysis, well + known.
Full origin of well-known →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between well-known and famous?
Famous implies a large, often national or global audience and a degree of celebrity. Well-known is milder and frequently limited to a field or place — a well-known cardiologist is respected within medicine but unlikely to be recognised in the street.
When do you hyphenate well-known?
Hyphenate it before the noun it describes: 'a well-known author'. Leave the hyphen out after the verb: 'the author is well known'. The same rule applies to well-behaved, well-dressed and similar compounds.
Is well-known the same as notorious?
No. Notorious means well known specifically for something bad. Well-known is neutral and carries no judgement, so calling someone notorious when you mean merely famous is a serious change of meaning.