known

/nəʊn/ (bre, ipa) · /nəʊn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnōn/ (ame, mw)

known — adjective

  • knownpositive
  • knownercomparative
  • knownestsuperlative

1. Recognized or understood by many people because it has been seen, heard about, o

1.形容詞A2
釋義

Recognized or understood by many people because it has been seen, heard about, or experienced before.

例句

Tariro is a known expert in designing houses that use very little energy.

known + [role noun] — describing a person's recognized position

There are no known cases of this illness in Hoa's village.

no known + [noun] — negated collocation for absence of record

同義詞
  • familiar

    emphasises personal recognition rather than public awareness; 'a familiar face' feels more personal than 'a known face'

  • recognized

    slightly more formal, often implies official or expert acknowledgement

  • acknowledged

    stronger — implies acceptance of something as true or valid, not just awareness

反義詞
  • unknown

    direct opposite; not recognized or understood by people

  • unfamiliar

    focuses on lack of personal experience rather than public knowledge

文法句型

known for + [characteristic]

known to + [group of people]

well-known + [noun]

常見錯誤

❌This is a known fact for scientists.
✅This fact is known to scientists.
💡Use 'known to' (not 'known for') when specifying the group of people who recognize something.
❌The actor is known as playing comedic roles.
✅The actor is known for playing comedic roles.
💡Use 'known for' (not 'known as') when giving a characteristic or activity.

2. Describes a person or thing that has a particular name or title which people use

2.形容詞B1
釋義

Describes a person or thing that has a particular name or title which people use to refer to them.

例句

Dr. Ishaan Mehta, known as 'the heart doctor' by his patients, works at a hospital in Mumbai.

known as + [nickname/title]

This long-legged bird, known as a secretary bird, hunts snakes on the African plains.

同義詞
  • called

    more direct and informal; 'a plant called aloe vera' is everyday speech

  • named

    used for specific given names; slightly more formal than 'called'

  • referred to as

    more formal; common in academic or official writing

文法句型

known as + [name/title]

also known as + [alternative name]

better known as + [more familiar name]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: 'known for' (sense 1) gives a reason or characteristic, while 'known as' (sense 2) gives a name, title, or label. For example, a doctor is known as 'Dr. Chen' (her name) but known for her careful surgery (her quality). These two patterns are not interchangeable.

常見錯誤

❌She is known for the school nurse.
✅She is known as the school nurse.
💡Use 'known as' for a role or title, not 'known for.'
❌This plant is known as its healing properties.
✅This plant is known for its healing properties.
💡Use 'known for' for a characteristic; use 'known as' only for a name.

3. No longer kept secret or private; having been told to other people so that it is

3.形容詞B2
釋義

No longer kept secret or private; having been told to other people so that it is now public information.

例句

The full details of the agreement became known after the press conference.

became known — passive verb pattern for disclosure

The full story of the missing sculpture became known after Indra found the original receipt.

became known — passive verb pattern for disclosure

同義詞
  • disclosed

    more formal; often used in legal or official contexts

  • revealed

    stronger — implies something was hidden or secret before

  • publicized

    emphasises that information was actively spread to many people

反義詞
  • secret

    not disclosed or revealed to others

  • hidden

    kept out of sight or deliberately concealed

文法句型

become known

make + [noun] + known

用法筆記

Frequently used with the verbs 'become' or 'make' to show the process of information being disclosed.

常見錯誤

❌He known his decision yesterday.
✅He made his decision known yesterday.
💡'Known' as an adjective cannot stand alone as the main verb; it needs 'make', 'become', or another linking verb.
❌The secret was known by the press last week.
✅The secret became known to the press last week.
💡Use 'became known to' (not 'was known by') to show the moment of revelation.