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.

Origin of infamous

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

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

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

Synonyms for infamous

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR infamous ON THESAURUS.COM

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

Antonyms for infamous

1. reputable. 2. praiseworthy, admirable.

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

Related Words for infamously

notably, spectacularly, especially

Examples from the Web for infamously

Contemporary Examples of infamously

I remind Deen that his namesake died in an infamously horrible car crash, so he may want to cool it on texting and driving.
My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star
Emily Shire
November 12, 2014
They sang songs—including, infamously, Wild Thing—and catcalled at a female detective.
The Myth of the Central Park Five
Edward Conlon
October 19, 2014
Weddings, birthdays and other celebrations are infamously difficult for those watching what they eat.
When Is It OK to Cheat? The Pros and Cons of Cheat Days
DailyBurn
July 14, 2014
She infamously replaced the word “divorce” with her self-proclaimed term “conscious uncoupling.”
Why Do We Love Gisele Bundchen but Hate Gwyneth Paltrow?
Erin Cunningham
May 15, 2014
In fact he was there at that party that night in 1960 when Mailer infamously stabbed his then-wife, Adele.
The Great Russ Hemenway
Michael Tomasky
March 3, 2014

Historical Examples of infamously

He has treated her infamously; that is why she will not live with him and does not speak of him.
Whispering Smith
Frank H. Spearman
How cruel, how infamously unfeeling Ernest thought he had been.
The Way of All Flesh
Samuel Butler
I could not contain myself at seeing a lady so infamously insulted.
Valerie
Frederick Marryat
He has treated me infamously; I will not bother you with that now.
Dariel
R. D. Blackmore
"She was infamously poisoned last evening," replied the abbe, sadly.
The Honor of the Name
Emile Gaboriau

British Dictionary definitions for infamously

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 infamously

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.