notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent governmentR. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
love to have notabilities and notorieties under one roofThe Times Literary Supplement (London)

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His appearances on Kill Tony, a podcast hosted by the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, helped raise his profile; the show has achieved both a huge listenership and notoriety for its crude, taboo-busting sensibility. David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025 There is no other rapper in the past decade who has combined genuine fame with parasocial notoriety quite like YoungBoy. Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025 Moving forward, his goals are not to chase numbers — despite gaining notoriety from going viral — and to be a great songwriter. Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Sep. 2025 Sister Jean, who has been with the school since 1991, achieved mainstream notoriety during the team’s Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018. Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025 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 7 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

notoriety

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

More from Merriam-Webster on notoriety

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