notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
Synonyms of notorietynext
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
… the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent government.R. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
… the errors of notorieties and crowned heads …James Joyce

Examples of notoriety in a Sentence

He achieved instant fame and notoriety with the release of his film. She gained notoriety when nude photographs of her appeared in a magazine. His comment about the President has given him a notoriety that he enjoys very much.
Recent Examples on the Web
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The separatist group emerged in 1958 in resistance to Franco but gained notoriety for assassinations, bombings, and kidnappings before announcing an end to its armed activity in 2011 and its dissolution in 2018. News Desk, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026 The awards have honored some of the most talented figures in the culinary industry for nearly 40 years, boosting dozens of Windy City figures into notoriety. Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026 All have been around for a spell, achieving venerable notoriety in their respective cities. Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 30 Mar. 2026 Joe Exotic, who gained notoriety from a 2020 Netflix documentary, was convicted of hiring two men to kill activist Carole Baskin. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for notoriety

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French notorieté, from Medieval Latin notorietat-, notorietas, from notorius

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of notoriety was circa 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Notoriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notoriety. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

notoriety

noun
no·​to·​ri·​ety
ˌnōt-ə-ˈrī-ət-ē
plural notorieties
: the quality or state of being notorious

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