famed
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of famed
Explanation
Something that's famed is very well-known, or famous. Your dad's famed brownies are the highlight of every bake sale in town. The adjective famed basically means "renowned." In other words, something that's famed is famous, usually for its excellence. If a book is famed, it's either a bestseller or a classic, and if your English teacher is famed, it's probably hard to get into her classes because everyone wants to take them. The 16th century meaning of famed was "much talked about," from the now-obsolete verb fame, "spread abroad or report."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thrall passed the guide, also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa after famed mountaineer Edmund Hillary.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Scientists have uncovered hidden fossil insects inside pieces of amber that once belonged to the famed German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026
Craftsman’s Valley features booths where artisans show off such skills as blacksmithing or glassblowing, and the Grist Mill churns out loaves of the park’s famed cinnamon bread.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Nearby, is a large poster, with text penned by famed slavery abolitionist Frederick Douglass, that was carried in a 1863 parade during the Civil War that calls "Men of Color, To Arms! To Arms!"
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
The people of Isfahan ventured to the center of the strange neighborhood to stand in line, before the famed bakery of Akh Tamar, just for six of his cream puffs.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
