Definition of FAMOUS

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 some truly famous Southern-style cooking

Recent Examples on the Web The group may be most famous for bird-dogging conservative lawmakers with questions on camera; a number of these encounters have gone viral. — Jasper Craven, The New Republic, "Pete Buttigieg and the Democrats’ Veteran Problem," 11 Feb. 2020 The fertility of the region’s vineyards was famous. — Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, "The Terror and the Fascination of Pompeii," 10 Feb. 2020 The effect was most famous in essential tremor, another neurological condition that’s often of unexplained cause, this one characterized by involuntary rhythmic shaking. — Eric Boodman, STAT, "The vodka trial: In search of a treatment for vocal disorders, a researcher puts patient anecdotes to the test," 10 Feb. 2020 The only extended biography of Kenya’s longest-serving president was written by Andrew Morton, made famous for his account of the world’s glitterati—from Princess Diana and Madonna to David and Victoria Beckham. — Gabrielle Lynch, Quartz Africa, "How Daniel arap Moi became Kenya’s “big man” president," 3 Feb. 2020 Berkshire is famous for hardly ever selling any of its operating businesses. — Francesca Fontana, WSJ, "McDonald’s, Nike, Amazon.com: Stocks That Defined the Week," 31 Jan. 2020 Chopra wore the number 24 on her nail, a reference to the jersey number made famous by Kobe Bryant, as a tribute to the late basketball legend. — Jenny Hollander, Marie Claire, "Priyanka Chopra Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant With Nail Art at the Grammys," 27 Jan. 2020 The tiny speck of land is connected by sandbar to Martha's Vineyard, and is most famous for the scandal in the 1960s when the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy drove his car off a bridge and into the water, killing his companion, Mary Jo Kopechne. — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, "Paul Whelan and family continue to fight a year after he's accused of spying in Russia," 22 Jan. 2020 The 19-year-old capped off his trip to Dubai by dining on a golden steak at Nusr-Et Steakhouse, made famous by Turkish butcher Nusret Gökçe -- otherwise known as Salt Bae. — Matias Grez, CNN, "Jadon Sancho criticized by German media for dining on $240 gold-plated steak," 15 Jan. 2020

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

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Last Updated

15 Feb 2020

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“Famous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/famous?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.