fame

noun \ ˈfām \

Definition of fame

1 a :public estimation :reputation

b :popular acclaim :renown

2 archaic :rumor

See fame defined for English-language learners

See fame defined for kids

Examples of fame in a Sentence

He died at the height of his fame.
The book tells the story of her sudden rise to fame.
He gained fame as an actor.
She went to Hollywood seeking fame and fortune.

Recent Examples of fame from the Web

Arpaio shot to national fame by aggressively targeting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally using tactics that Latino and immigrants’ rights advocates likened to racial profiling.

— Washington Post, "Trump defends decision to pardon Arizona’s Arpaio," 29 Aug. 2017
His natal Sun is in his 10th house, which naturally draws a person to fame and honors.

— rebecca gordon, Harper's BAZAAR, "What the Upcoming Eclipse Means for Donald Trump and His Presidency," 10 Aug. 2017
In America, her first claim to fame was playing a bored housewife having an affair (and an onscreen orgasm) in Malle’s 1958 film The Lovers, which caused a scandalous obscenity case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

— catie l'heureux, The Cut, "Remembering French Actress Jeanne Moreau, Bohemian Style Icon," 31 July 2017
Donald Trump's obsession with fame (and propaganda) reached new heights this week when White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read fan mail from a 9-year-old boy at Wednesday's press briefing.

— christina coleman, Essence.com, "White House Propaganda Hits All Time High As Press Secretary Reads Fan Mail During Briefing," 28 July 2017
Nucla had a moment of fame in 2013, not for its declining economy, but for an ordinance in the wake of Sandy Hook which ran against a national call for restricted gun access: Every household in Nucla would be required to own a gun.

— michelle legro, Longreads, "When Everyone In Town Has a Gun, But the Enemy is the Economy," 18 July 2017
Another who stood trial with Simpson was convicted and served 27 months before the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that Simpson's fame tainted the jury.

— mark heim, AL.com, "O.J. Simpson parole hearing: ESPN to feature live coverage," 18 July 2017
Fame made him run away; celebrity, despite the Shrimpton blip, appalled him.

— The Economist, "The last of the fire-breathersObituary: Heathcote Williams died on July 1st," 15 July 2017
Mr. Russo and Mr. Francesa recall their heady rise to fame and some of the tensions and missteps during their 19 years together.

— neil genzlinger, New York Times, "Review: When Mike Met the Mad Dog, Sports Talk Livened Up," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fame.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fame

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin fama report, fame; akin to Latin fari to speak — more at ban

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

fame Synonyms

Synonyms

celebrity, notoriety, renown

Antonyms

anonymity, oblivion, obscureness, obscurity

Near Antonyms

disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, odium, opprobrium, shame; inconspicuousness, invisibility; unpopularity

fame

verb

Definition of fame

famed; faming

transitive verb

1 archaic :report, repute

2 :to make famous

Recent Examples of fame from the Web

Trying to weave a fairy tale life from a horror story reality, Vieux-Chauvet’s heroine, Minette, rides her beauty and talent out of poverty in late-18th-century Port-au-Prince to fame onstage as a singer.

— alison mcculloch, New York Times, "Fiction in Translation," 17 Feb. 2017