notorious

adjective

no·​to·​ri·​ous nō-ˈtȯr-ē-əs How to pronounce notorious (audio)
nə-
: generally known and talked of
iron is a notorious conductor of heatLewis Mumford
especially : widely and unfavorably known
a notorious gangster
an area notorious for soot, smog, and dust Pliotron

Did you know?

For those who don’t give a hang about a bad reputation, being notorious for unpopular behavior is no biggie. (Being notorious for topping the Billboard charts? Now that's a Biggie.) Although notorious (which comes from Latin noscere, "to come to know") can be a synonym of famous, it's more often a synonym of infamous, having long ago developed the additional implication of someone or something disreputable. The Book of Common Prayer of 1549 includes one of the first known uses of the unfavorable meaning in print, referring to "notorious synners." You know what they say: more notorious synners, more problems.

Choose the Right Synonym for notorious

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 notorious in a Sentence

The coach is notorious for his violent outbursts. a notorious mastermind of terrorist activities
Recent Examples on the Web Then attacks on two of the city’s largest prisons last weekend freed thousands of inmates, including some of the country’s most notorious criminals. Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 It has become increasingly used as a powerful tool in law enforcement investigations to finally solve some of the country’s most notorious cold cases, such as that of Golden State Killer in 2018. Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 The album would become notorious for his decision to record at the sprawling bungalow on 10050 Cielo Drive, the house where a pregnant Sharon Tate and five other people were murdered on August 8, 1969 by Charles Manson’s followers. Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024 Bathrooms are notorious for lacking proper storage no matter their size, but tiny bathrooms can feel the squeeze even more. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 The hip-slung, ass crack-revealing pants McQueen was notorious for have been turning up on other runways this season. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 On Thursday, UnitedHealth Group accused a notorious ransomware gang known as Black Cat, or AlphV, of hacking health care payment systems across the country. Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 They were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the notorious case that captured the nation's attention. Stephanie Slifer, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024 The behavior, however, is par for the course for the right-wing network, which is notorious for poisoning the public discourse with dishonest propaganda aimed at propping up Trump and assailing his political opponents. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'notorious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin notorius, from Late Latin notorium information, indictment, from Latin noscere to come to know — more at know

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of notorious was in 1534

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Dictionary Entries Near notorious

Cite this Entry

“Notorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notorious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

notorious

adjective
no·​to·​ri·​ous nō-ˈtōr-ē-əs How to pronounce notorious (audio)
nə-,
-ˈtȯr-
: generally known and talked of
especially : widely and unfavorably known
notoriously adverb

Legal Definition

notorious

adjective
no·​to·​ri·​ous nō-ˈtōr-ē-əs How to pronounce notorious (audio)
: generally known and talked of
adverse possession created by open, continuous, notorious, and adverse use

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