notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē 

plural notorieties

1

: the quality or state of being notorious

the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent government

—R. E. Merriam

2

: a notorious person

love to have notabilities and notorieties under one roof

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Synonyms

• celebrity
• star
• personality

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

In addition to its reporting on the NFL/NFLPA collusion case, the show also gained notoriety for its coverage of North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. —Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Jonas gained notoriety across Wall Street for being a longtime Tesla bull. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025

The Fat Badger As the newest opening from Public House Group, The Fat Badger quickly gained notoriety for its buzzy crowd and impossible-to-snag reservations. —Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025

Jeffrey Dahmer got killed not because of his notoriety or fame. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2025

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

Rhymes for notoriety

• contrariety
• impropriety
• inebriety
• antianxiety
• intersociety
• anxiety
• impiety
• propriety
• satiety
• sobriety
• society
• variety

Kids Definition

notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​ety

ˌnōt-ə-ˈrī-ət-ē

plural notorieties

: the quality or state of being notorious