notorious
Americanadjective
-
widely and unfavorably known.
a notorious gambler.
-
publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait.
a newspaper that is notorious for its sensationalism.
- Synonyms:
- famous, conspicuous, prominent, celebrated, renowned, notable
adjective
-
well-known for some bad or unfavourable quality, deed, etc; infamous
-
rare generally known or widely acknowledged
Usage
What does notorious mean? Notorious most commonly means famous or well-known for a negative reason.The word 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.Notorious can also mean known for a particular trait or action, not necessarily a bad one. For example, you might be notorious for wearing the same outfit every Friday, or your aunt might be notorious for arriving late to family events.The state or quality of being notorious is notoriety.Example: The island prison known as Alcatraz was known for holding some of America’s most notorious criminals.
Other Word Forms
- notoriety noun
- notoriously adverb
- notoriousness noun
Etymology
Origin of notorious
First recorded in 1540–50; from Medieval Latin nōtōrius “well known, public,” from Late Latin nōtōria “a notice, news, intelligence” and nōtōrium “indictment, (criminal) charge,” equivalent to nō(scere) “to get to know” + -tōrius adjective suffix; notify, -tory 1
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.
Located near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the site, also known as The Rock, was once regarded as one of America's most notorious prisons, but has served as a tourist attraction in recent years.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
US President Donald Trump asked Congress on Friday for $152 million to begin rebuilding the notorious Alcatraz prison, pressing ahead with his vision to return the former island lockup to active use.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Director Daniel Goldhaber, co-writer Isa Mazzei and star Barbie Ferreira discuss the “moral peril” of smartening up a notorious horror movie for a new generation.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
A judge bounces the notorious plaintiffs firm from the J&J trial for sleazy behavior.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
For several months he had been the butt of various jokes played by the attend-ants and the miscellaneous loafers who hung around the station, despite his warnings and his notorious short temper.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
