notoriety

American  

[noh-tuh-rahy-i-tee] / ˌnoʊ təˈraɪ ɪ ti /

noun

notorieties plural

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.

---

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of notoriety

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

Explanation

Notoriety is fame you get from doing something bad or being part of a misfortune or scandal. Just remember: Notoriety's not al-righty. Charles Manson earned notoriety for his grisly crimes. In our celebrity culture, it's hard not to think that seizing your 15 minutes of fame is worth the shame of earning it through stupidity, scandal, or evil. (See: people's motives for going on reality television.) We ordinary mortals can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that most people who become notorious fade from the public mind quickly.

Example Sentences

Los Angeles comedians joined the seventh 21-and-over convocation of dark comedians and listeners who adore them at Notoriety, a former third-floor multiplex of the Neonopolis center on downtown’s Fremont Street.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2023

The event, called A Century of Notoriety: The Estate of Al Capone, was held at a private club and attracted nearly 1,000 bidders.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2021

Notoriety seems to be short-lived here, too, to judge by the appearance of Matt Lauer, the former NBC co-anchor, at the Hampton Classic on Wednesday morning, a day of near Biblical rain.

From New York Times • Aug. 31, 2019

He and his wife Caren Teves founded No Notoriety, a group aimed at keeping media mentions of the attackers to a minimum.

From Washington Times • May 9, 2019

Notoriety and infamy quickly evolve into celebrity and fame for scythes—and the most brazen acts harden further into legend.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

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