What does "notorious" mean?
Senses with an unfavourable connotation.; Of a person or entity: generally or widely known for something negative; infamous.
Notorious
/nə(ʊ)ˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əs/ adj, adv
adj, adv ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Senses with an unfavourable connotation.; Of a person or entity: generally or widely known for something negative; infamous.
- Grammar: notorious is listed as adj, adv.
- Nearest alternatives: infamous, abominable, acclaimed, arrant.
- Useful contrasts: unnotorious, famous, famous musical piece.
- Usage evidence: Ms. Eichler had a notorious reputation for being austere to her students.
How to use "notorious"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "notorious" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "notorious" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "notorious" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "notorious" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "notorious" is acting as adj, adv in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "infamous" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "notorious", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Senses with an unfavourable connotation.; Of a person or entity: generally or widely known for something negative; infamous.
"Such Men theſe had, to Miſchiefe vvholly bent, / In Villanie, notorious for their skill, / Diſhoneſt, deſp'rate, mercileſſe, and rude, / That dar'd into Damnation to intrude."
- 2 Senses with an unfavourable connotation.; Of an act, situation, etc.: blameworthy in an obvious and offensive way; blatant, flagrant.
"Sir, ſir, I ſhall haue Lavv in Epheſus, / To your notorious ſhame, I doubt it not."
- 3 Senses with a favourable or neutral connotation.; Generally or widely known; of common knowledge; famous or well-known.
"Lett him [God] notorious make, / That in good part he did thy offrings take."
- 4 Senses with a favourable or neutral connotation.; Clear, evident, obvious. obsolete
"For the elder ſort of them are rough, hard, thinne and leane ſcragges, ſtatuelinges, lothſome to touch and to looke vpon, ſomevvhat long, nothing but skinne and bone, yet very notorious and goodly too ſee to, in regard of their grauity, hoarenes and aunciency."
- 5 Senses with a favourable or neutral connotation.; Generally or widely knowable. obsolete
"But what hope is there to haue fidelitie well kept amonge us in promises and bargaynes, whan for the breache therof is prouided no punisshement, nor yet notorious rebuke; […]"
Adjective
- 1 known widely and usually unfavorably wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Synonym of notoriously. obsolete
Antonyms
Example
"Ms. Eichler had a notorious reputation for being austere to her students."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "notorious"?
Common synonyms include: infamous, abominable, acclaimed, arrant, atrocious, awful.
How do you use "notorious" in a sentence?
Ms. Eichler had a notorious reputation for being austere to her students.
How do you pronounce "notorious"?
Pronounced /nə(ʊ)ˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əs/.
Etymology
From Late Middle English notoryous, from Medieval Latin nōtōrius (“evident, known; famous, well-known; infamous”), from Latin nōtus (“known, recognized; familiar, widely known; famous, well-known; infamous”) + -tōrius (suffix forming adjectives). Nōtus is the perfect passive participle of nōscō (“to become acquainted with or learn about (something); (rare) to be familiar with, recognize”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know; to recognize”). cognates * Catalan notori (“well-known”) * Middle French notoire (Anglo-Norman notoire, notoir, notore, notorie, modern French notoire (“notorious; well-known”)) * Italian notorio (“notorious; well-known”) * Portuguese notorjo (obsolete), notório (“illustrious; open, public; notorious”) * Spanish notorio (“apparent, clear, obvious; well-known”)