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.
But disappearing also wasn’t an option for the activist who raises money for Ukraine and who gained notoriety for his anti-Russian acts, including urinating on a Russian war memorial. Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 Kyle Rittenhouse, who gained notoriety in 2020 for shooting three people at a civil rights rally in Wisconsin, said he was hospitalized on May 6 after a venomous spider bit him. Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 7 May 2026 In these moments, the group evidences a commitment to the music itself—not as a means of achieving notoriety, but as a way of giving a voice to their community. Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026 The Horned Frogs don’t have a player committed this offseason with that type of notoriety, but head coach Mark Campbell has still been able to assemble one of the top transfer portal classes. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Notoriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notoriety. Accessed 9 May. 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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