infamous

[in-fuh-muhs]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR infamous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having an extremely bad reputation: an infamous city.

deserving of or causing an evil reputation; shamefully malign; detestable: an infamous deed.

Law.

deprived of certain rights as a citizen, as a consequence of conviction of certain offenses.
of or relating to offenses involving such deprivation.

Nearby words

Origin of infamous

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin infām(is) (see infamy) + -ous

SYNONYMS FOR infamous

1. disreputable, ill-famed, notorious. 2. disgraceful, scandalous; nefarious, odious, wicked, shocking, vile, base, heinous, villainous.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR infamous ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR infamous

1. reputable. 2. praiseworthy, admirable.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR infamous ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsin·fa·mous·ly, adverbin·fa·mous·ness, noun

Can be confusedfamous infamous notorious (see synonym study at famous)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for infamous

The main effort in the attack was carried out by the infamous Waffen SS 6th Panzer Army.
Hitler’s Hail Mary|James A. Warren|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Do they not recall the appalling ramifications of the infamous moment when Michelle Obama put her arm around the Queen in 2009?
LeBron's Touchy Feely Protocol Breach|Tom Sykes|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most infamous case was that of Kanae Kijima, a onetime housekeeper who became a highly paid mistress.
Beware of Japan’s “Black Widows”|Jake Adelstein|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The reality star bared her infamous behind on the cover of Paper magazine, and the web went wild.
Kim Kardashian Bares Her Shiny, Bounteous Butt, Breaks the Internet|Marlow Stern|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

One possible solution to the breast shortage is the infamous Venezuelan border with Colombia.
Venezuela Now Has Toilet Paper but No Breast Implants|Jason Batansky|September 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The poor isolated girl fell unresistingly into the infamous snare spread for her inexperience: she believed and loved him.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 404, June, 1849|Various
Unfortunately for you you didn't quite carry out your infamous butchery completely enough.
Men, Women and Guns|H. C. (Herman Cyril) McNeile
And if that infamous doctrine is true every tear is a crime, and every kiss a blasphemy.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 1 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll
She would soon be poorer than when she entered upon the infamous enterprise.
From the Housetops|George Barr McCutcheon
Conviction prior to marriage by either party of felony or infamous crime, unknown to the other spouse.
Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World|Hyacinthe Ringrose

British Dictionary definitions for infamous

infamous

adjective

having a bad reputation; notorious

causing or deserving a bad reputation; shockinginfamous conduct

criminal law (formerly)

(of a person) deprived of certain rights of citizenship on conviction of certain offences
(of a crime or punishment) entailing such deprivation

Derived Formsinfamously, adverbinfamousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for infamous

infamous

adj.

late 14c., from Medieval Latin infamosus, from Latin in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + famosus "celebrated" (see famous). Meaning influenced by Latin infamis "of ill fame" (see infamy). As a legal term, "disqualified from certain rights of citizens in consequence of conviction of certain crimes" (late 14c.). Related: Infamously.

infamous

adjective

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Origin of infamous

Examples from the Web for infamous

infamous

adjective

infamous