notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
Synonyms of notorietynext
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
… the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent government.R. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
… the errors of notorieties and crowned heads …James Joyce

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.
Alternately embracing and dodging comparisons, the younger Buckley rode the wave of notoriety in the downtown Manhattan scene, securing a recording contract and an army of dedicated followers. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026 Other likely contenders in 2028 are gaining notoriety by holding the administration accountable in the present. Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026 Schneiderman says Name a Roach has brought a little notoriety to the humble insects. Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026 Despite first gaining notoriety as a frantic comedy YouTuber, the singer has spent most of the last decade as a purveyor of somber alt-R&B. Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026 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 25 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

notoriety

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

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