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Which prison island became notorious for holding some of America's most dangerous criminals?

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notorious

American  

[noh-tawr-ee-uhs, nuh-] / noʊˈtɔr i əs, nə- /

adjective

1. 

   widely and unfavorably known.

   a notorious gambler.

   Synonyms:

   disreputable, flagrant, arrant, egregious, ill-famed, infamous

2. publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait.

   a newspaper that is notorious for its sensationalism.

   Synonyms:

   famous, conspicuous, prominent, celebrated, renowned, notable

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notorious British  

/ nəʊˈtɔːrɪəs /

adjective

1. well-known for some bad or unfavourable quality, deed, etc; infamous

2. rare generally known or widely acknowledged

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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
• notoriousness
  noun
• notoriously
  adverb

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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; see notify, -tory ¹

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Explanation

Use the adjective notorious to describe people, places, or things that are famous for a bad reason. A good synonym for notorious is infamous; both words mean "well-known, and not in a good way." A celebrity convicted of a series of crimes might be referred to as notorious, as might a book that has been banned in several countries. The word originally meant just "famous" and could carry either positive or negative connotations. Only in recent centuries did the negative uses start to outweigh the positive ones. In general, you'd rather be famous than notorious — unless you're looking to build a bad reputation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

notorious

New York's notorious Rikers Island jail, long criticized for unsanitary and violent conditions, will miss a deadline for the vast complex to close down, prompting disappointment from activists.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Some have wanted to escape Washington’s notorious humid summers, while others longed to flee the cold and create a “winter White House” in warmer climes.

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

In a landmark case against authorities at the notorious Robben Island prison, Pillay secured the right for political prisoners to access legal representation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The hiker was found below the notorious “final 400” stretch, a dangerously steep chute along the route that is particularly challenging to navigate in the winter months.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

“According to this plaque, Loblolly was ‘one of the notorious Dandy Bandits.’

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

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Related Words

• blatant
• flagrant
• infamous
• prominent
• well-known

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