infamous
Americanadjective
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having an extremely bad reputation.
an infamous city.
- Synonyms:
- notorious, ill-famed, disreputable
- Antonyms:
- reputable
-
deserving of or causing an evil reputation; shamefully malign; detestable.
an infamous deed.
- Synonyms:
- villainous, heinous, base, vile, shocking, wicked, odious, nefarious, scandalous, disgraceful
- Antonyms:
- admirable, praiseworthy
-
Law.
-
deprived of certain rights as a citizen, as a consequence of conviction of certain offenses.
-
of or relating to offenses involving such deprivation.
-
adjective
-
having a bad reputation; notorious
-
causing or deserving a bad reputation; shocking
infamous conduct
-
criminal law
-
(of a person) deprived of certain rights of citizenship on conviction of certain offences
-
(of a crime or punishment) entailing such deprivation
-
Usage
What does infamous mean? Infamous means having, deserving, or resulting in a bad or evil reputation.The word is typically used to describe people, actions, and events. It’s especially used in the context of violent crimes, scandals, and tragedies.Infamous is often used interchangeably with the word notorious, which most commonly means famous or well-known for a negative reason.But infamous is also sometimes used in a more general way to describe things, such as behavior, as shameful, shocking, detestable, vile, heinous, or scandalous.The state of quality of being infamous is infamy.Example: The infamous bank robber was known for setting fire to the crime scene while making his escape.
Other Word Forms
- infamously adverb
- infamousness noun
Etymology
Origin of infamous
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin infām(is) ( infamy ) + -ous
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.
Much of the world seemed to feel that we were, as that infamous Time magazine cover put it, “going to hell.”
From Los Angeles Times
Simpson was arrested after leading police on an infamous “slow speed chase” from Orange County to the gates of his Brentwood estate on Rockingham Avenue.
From Los Angeles Times
Often the rate rises upon the death of a spouse due to the infamous “widow’s penalty.”
From MarketWatch
It’s located downtown, which is also home to an array of restaurants and shops including the infamous Erewhon.
From Los Angeles Times
California, infamous for high housing costs, sits at the epicenter of the “teacher-village” trend.
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.
