notorious

American  

[noh-tawr-ee-uhs, nuh-] / noʊˈtɔr i əs, nə- /

adjective

1. widely and unfavorably known.

   a notorious gambler.

   Synonyms:

   disreputable, flagrant, arrant, egregious, ill-famed, infamous

2. publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait.

   a newspaper that is notorious for its sensationalism.

   Synonyms:

   famous, conspicuous, prominent, celebrated, renowned, notable

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notorious British  

/ nəʊˈtɔːrɪəs, ˌnəʊtəˈraɪɪtɪ /

adjective

1. well-known for some bad or unfavourable quality, deed, etc; infamous

2. rare generally known or widely acknowledged

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Usage

What does notorious mean? Notorious most commonly means famous or well-known for a negative reason. The word 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. Notorious can also mean known for a particular trait or action, not necessarily a bad one. For example, you might be notorious for wearing the same outfit every Friday, or your aunt might be notorious for arriving late to family events. The state or quality of being notorious is notoriety. Example: The island prison known as Alcatraz was known for holding some of America’s most notorious criminals.

Other Word Forms

• notoriety
  noun
• notoriously
  adverb
• notoriousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of notorious

First recorded in 1540–50; from Medieval Latin nōtōrius “well known, public,” from Late Latin nōtōria “a notice, news, intelligence” and nōtōrium “indictment, (criminal) charge,” equivalent to nō(scere) “to get to know” + -tōrius adjective suffix; see notify, -tory ¹

Explanation

Use the adjective notorious to describe people, places, or things that are famous for a bad reason. A good synonym for notorious is infamous; both words mean "well-known, and not in a good way." A celebrity convicted of a series of crimes might be referred to as notorious, as might a book that has been banned in several countries. The word originally meant just "famous" and could carry either positive or negative connotations. Only in recent centuries did the negative uses start to outweigh the positive ones. In general, you'd rather be famous than notorious — unless you're looking to build a bad reputation.

Example Sentences

He celebrated wins by playing music by his favorite rapper, the Notorious B.I.G., on the trading desk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Notorious pirate Henry "Long Ben" Avery was born near by.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Notorious far-right agitator Tommy Robinson and misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, who faces court cases in Britain and Romania, hail from the town, where about a third of residents are Muslim.

From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025

You two were working together on the script of what became "The Notorious Bettie Page" when "American Psycho" came into your life.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2025

When we studied the Old West, everybody had to do a special report on A Cowboy’s Life or Famous Indian Chiefs or Notorious Outlaw Families like the James brothers.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

Related Words

• blatant
• flagrant
• infamous
• prominent
• well-known