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

Near Santiago is La Vega, the birthplace of the Dominican Carnival, and the beautiful city of Jarabacoa, famous for its mountainous landscapes, ideal for those seeking adventure and ecotourism. —Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Home to Old Faithful – one of the most famous geysers in the world – Yellowstone boasts an impressive collection of hydrothermal features, but also is a great spot for hiking, wildlife watching, nature photography and much more. —Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026

And even on the sprawling, hallowed grounds of Theresienwiese, home to the world-famous Oktoberfest and its smaller, springtime counterpart, Munchner Fruhlingsfest, alcohol-free beer is no longer considered verboten. —David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

To oversimplify a complex topic, young filmmakers are famous for putting all of their eggs in one basket and being massively disappointed if their projects don’t deliver tangible career results. —Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 10 June 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