famous

adjective

fa·​mous ˈfā-məs 

1

a

: widely known

a restaurant famous for its French cuisine

b

: honored for achievement

a famous explorer

2

: excellent, first-rate

famous weather for a walk

famousness noun

Synonyms of famous

• famed
• celebrated
• prominent
• renowned
• notorious
• infamous

Choose the Right Synonym for famous

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of famous in a Sentence

a book about some of the most famous people of the last century

the review gushed that the restaurant offered some truly famous Southern-style cooking

Recent Examples on the Web

The casual diner is famous for its classic American eats, but guests may be unaware of the legacy behind its burgers, cooked up by its parent company, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants. — S. Sorrina Beecher, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026

Here’s more of the story of Criteria Studios, as told through seven of the most famous artists to ever record there. — Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2026

One of the hotel’s most famous programs is its Rolls-Royce transfer to the train station, the cable car, or a nearby private airport. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026

Lipa, who admits to using the Opal app, which limits her to an hour a day on social media to post her famous photo dumps, is hopeful Service95 can also serve as an antidote to doomscrolling and AI. — Daniela Tijerina, Vanity Fair, 12 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin famosus, from fama fame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing famous

• world-famous

Rhymes for famous

• amos
• ramus
• shamus
• ignoramus
• mandamus

Kids Definition

famous

adjective

fa·​mous ˈfā-məs 

1

: much talked about : very well-known

famous explorer

2

: excellent

famous weather for a picnic