a well-known case

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a well-known case" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a case that is widely recognized or familiar to many people, often in legal, historical, or cultural contexts. Example: "The trial of O.J. Simpson is a well-known case that captivated the nation in the 1990s."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

This episode contrasts with a well-known case of a deliberate distortion that led to war.

The New York Times

She signals an allusion to a well-known case by planting a smoking pipe in the scene where it occurs.

The New York Times - Books

A well-known case is that of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) powered LiverpoolTV, but every football club worldwide is following their example.

The Guardian

But with such a well-known case, he said, expunging the record "is difficult to accomplish — and, morally speaking, rightly so".

The New York Times

A well-known case was described in The Denver Post in May, in which an Iraqi general suffocated after his interrogators pushed him upside down in a sleeping bag and sat on his chest.

The New York Times

A well-known case is Mannheim's sociological attempt to characterize styles of thought within different social groups (Mannheim 1928).

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

A well-known example for such a case that this paper specifically deals with is the turning operation on a CNC machine.

Computers & Operations Research

Kayte Spector-Bagdady, who has recently stepped down from Obama's Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, talked about the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study, as well as a less well-known case, in which US government researchers deliberately infected sex workers with syphilis before sending them into prisons in Guatemala, a country in which prisoners were allowed such visits.

The Guardian

When q=1, regular Shannon entropy, which produces Boltzmann distribution under the constraint of constant mean (i.e. conservation of energy in a system) is a special and well-known case.

Biology Direct

A recent and well-known case of zoothanasia involved a young healthy male giraffe, Marius, who was publicly killed at the Copenhagen zoo because he couldn't be used to make more giraffes.

Huffington Post

Outbreak Investigations Around the World is a collection of diverse, mostly well-known case studies presenting both fundamental information and the personal experiences of each chapter's scientist-author.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a well-known case", ensure the context provides enough information or that your audience possesses the background knowledge to understand the specific case you're referencing. If not, provide a brief explanation.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because a case is well-known to you, it's well-known to everyone. Briefly contextualize the "well-known case" to ensure clarity for all readers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a well-known case" functions as a noun phrase acting as a subject complement or object, identifying a specific event, situation, or legal matter that is widely recognized. Ludwig's examples showcase its use across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

43%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a well-known case" is a commonly used phrase to refer to a situation, event, or legal matter that is widely recognized, as validated by Ludwig's examples across diverse fields like science, news, and encyclopedias. It functions as a noun phrase, serving to provide context or support an argument. While grammatically correct, it is important to ensure that the audience is familiar with the case or that sufficient context is provided to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "a famous instance" or "a widely recognized situation", offering subtle variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a famous instance

Replaces "well-known" with "famous", emphasizing the widespread recognition of the case.

a celebrated example

Uses "celebrated" instead of "well-known", suggesting the case is not only known but also admired or widely discussed.

a notorious occurrence

Employs "notorious" to indicate the case is famous for negative reasons.

a widely recognized situation

Rephrases the expression to focus on the widespread recognition of the situation rather than just the case itself.

a familiar scenario

Substitutes "well-known case" with "familiar scenario", highlighting the common nature of the described situation.

a prominent illustration

Uses "prominent" instead of "well-known", emphasizing the importance and visibility of the example.

a classic situation

Highlights that a situation is well-known because it is traditional and has often occured.

a common example

Emphasizes how frequently the example is known.

a typical situation

The event occurs regularly, so it has gained notoriety.

a standard scenario

Replaces "well-known" with "standard", implying that it is a case that is widely accepted and typical.

FAQs

How can I use "a well-known case" in a sentence?

Use "a well-known case" to refer to an event, situation, or legal matter that is widely recognized or familiar. For instance, "The Watergate scandal is "a well-known case" of political corruption."

What are some alternatives to "a well-known case"?

You can use alternatives like "a famous instance", "a celebrated example", or "a widely recognized situation" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "a well-known case" or "a famous case"?

Both "a well-known case" and "a famous case" are acceptable. The choice depends on the desired emphasis; "well-known" simply implies wide recognition, while "famous" can suggest admiration or notoriety.

When should I provide context for "a well-known case"?

Always provide context if there's a chance your audience may not be familiar with the specific case. Even with "a well-known case", a brief reminder of the key details can enhance clarity.