notoriety

[noh-tuh-rahy-i-tee]

noun

plural

notorieties 

1. the state, quality, or character of being notorious or widely known.

   a craze for notoriety.

   Synonyms: infamy, shame, disrepute

2. Chiefly British.,  a notorious or celebrated person.

Word History and Origins

Origin of notoriety¹

1585–95; < Medieval Latin nōtōrietās, equivalent to nōtōri ( us ) notorious + -etās, variant (after -i- ) of -ity

Example Sentences

Both were concerned about online notoriety that could be associated with a politically tinged situation.

From Los Angeles Times

The movement is led by white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who gained notoriety for his anti-immigration, antisemitic and Christian nationalist views.

From Salon

"We don't always get a lot of notoriety in terms what can we do and what can't we do," Ms Forbes said of the city.

From BBC

Chief O'Hara told reporters that news outlets should stop using the killer's name, because "the purpose of the shooter's actions was to obtain notoriety."

From BBC

She did, and that level of global notoriety, positive and negative, earned her the ability to market herself as just another nice, extremely rich girl with designer backyard chickens that lay tiny, delicious eggs.

From Salon

Related Words

• celebrity 
• fame 
• flak 
• infamy 
• opprobrium 
• renown 
• spotlight 

When To Use

What does notoriety mean?

Notoriety is the state or quality of being famous or well-known, especially for a negative reason.If often means the state or quality of being notorious, which is especially used to describe people who are widely known and viewed unfavorably for their actions, such as notorious criminals. It can also be applied to events, as in a notorious scandal.This sense of notorious is often used interchangeably with the word infamous. Strictly speaking, infamous means having, deserving, or resulting in a bad or evil reputation, while notorious usually implies that a person is both famous and disliked. Still, they usually mean just about the same thing. A noun form of infamous, infamy, is often used interchangeably with notoriety.Notorious can also mean known for a particular trait or action, not necessarily a bad one, as in My aunt is notorious for arriving late to family events. Notoriety can refer to the state of being known in this way. In some cases, it can mean much the same thing as fame, and in fact the two words are often used side by side, as in It’s unbelievable what some people will do for fame and notoriety. Notoriety is often discussed as being earned, gained, or achieved, as in The company gained notoriety for its irreverent marketing campaigns. Example: He gained notoriety for his role in the scandal, and his reputation has never recovered.