notoriety

American  

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

noun

plural

notorieties

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

Thompson, who gained notoriety for his role winning a rape conviction against Harvey Weinstein, purchased the rights to the domain name “patconnolly4judge.com,” which now redirects to one of the commission’s admonishments of Connolly.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

But last month Ms. Ballard was thrust from obscurity into notoriety when Hachette, her publisher, announced that it was canceling her book “Shy Girl” over accusations that it was generated by artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

“I think part of the motivation has to do with, he now has an Instagram site with a lot of followers. I think it’s a notoriety thing,” said Ed.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

That notoriety helped launch the hit show on Hulu and on Disney - which owns both ABC and Hulu.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

They took a great fancy to us and we were especial favorites of the Hydes, both before and after the notoriety that our rappings made became widespread.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

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