infamy

American  

[in-fuh-mee] / ˈɪn fə mi /

noun

infamies plural

1. extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act.

   a time that will live in infamy.

   Synonyms:

   obloquy, disrepute, shame, opprobrium, odium

   Antonyms:

   honor, credit

2. infamous character or conduct.

3. an infamous act or circumstance.

4. Law. loss of rights, incurred by conviction of an infamous offense.

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infamy British  

/ ˈɪnfəmɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being infamous

2. an infamous act or event

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Usage

What does infamy mean? Infamy is the state of having a bad or evil reputation—the state of being infamous. The adjective infamous means having, deserving, or resulting in a bad or evil reputation. It’s typically used to describe people, actions, and events. It’s especially used in the context of violent crimes, scandals, and tragedies. Infamous is also sometimes used in a more general way to describe things, such as behavior, as shocking, detestable, vile, heinous, or scandalous. Infamy can mean infamous behavior, or it can mean the condemnation resulting from such behavior. Sometimes, it means about the same thing as shame or disgrace. Infamy is often used interchangeably with the word notoriety, which is the state or quality of being notorious—famous or well-known for a negative reason. But while notoriety can be used in a more neutral way to mean about the same thing as fame, infamy is always used negatively and usually involves a bad reputation. Example: Their heinous crimes will live in infamy.

Synonym Usage

See disgrace.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• infamies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of infamy

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English infamye, from Latin infāmia, equivalent to infām(is) “ill-famed” ( in- in- ³ + fām(a) fame + -is adjective suffix) + -ia -y ³

Explanation

Infamy means being famous for something bad or negative. You may be hoping for fame when you get an enormous tattoo of your favorite pop star on your back, but there's a chance you'll end up with infamy instead. The noun infamy is most often used to talk about famously evil or terrible people or historical events. The day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, just before the start of World War II, was described by President Roosevelt as "a day that will live in infamy." Infamy contains the root word fame, but rather than meaning "the opposite of famous," its meaning is something closer to "fame gone bad."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

infamy infamies

The amendment was originally ratified in the wake of the Civil War specifically to overrule the infamy of the Dred Scott decision.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack that president Franklin D. Roosevelt said would live "in infamy."

From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026

Able to pass for decades younger, he now basks in life on the other side of infamy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026

"For most lone actor terrorists, infamy is very often what they want to gain from what they're doing," he said.

From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026

Wealthy knights from Houses old in honor did not cross the narrow sea to sell their swords, unless exiled for some infamy.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Herron’s paintings are not literally historical, but titles such as “Scottsboro Men” invoke infamies of the African American past.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2023

Not all the infamies of Darlan and Laval shall stand between you and the restoraion of your birthright.

From Time Magazine Archive

They needed more than two hands to catalog his infamies and betrayals.

From Time Magazine Archive

Said Publisher Chandler: "We've told the story of the infamies."

From Time Magazine Archive

This is one of those infamies a prince should be on guard against, as will be discussed below.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

• notoriety
• opprobrium