infamous

infamous — adjective

1. well-known because of something bad, evil, or shameful that a person, place, or

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

well-known because of something bad, evil, or shameful that a person, place, or thing is connected with

Example

The dictator's regime became infamous for its brutal treatment of political prisoners.

infamous for + noun phrase

An infamous war criminal was finally brought to trial after more than thirty years.

attributive use: infamous + noun

Common collocations
  • infamous reputation
  • infamous dictator
  • infamous criminal
  • infamous act
  • infamous for
Synonyms
  • notorious

    Very similar in meaning, but 'notorious' can sometimes be used more neutrally or even humorously (e.g. 'a notorious chatterbox'). 'Infamous' is reserved for seriously bad things.

  • disreputable

    Describes someone or something with a bad character or appearance, but not necessarily widely known. 'Infamous' implies broad public knowledge.

  • scandalous

    Focuses on the shocking or morally offensive nature of an act or situation, rather than the lasting reputation of a person or place.

Antonyms
  • reputable

    Describes someone or something with a good reputation, the direct opposite of 'infamous.'

Grammar Patterns

infamous + noun

infamous for (something)

infamous for (doing something)

Usage Note

Often followed by 'for' to state the reason for the bad reputation. Stronger than 'notorious' — 'infamous' carries a clearer moral judgment that the person or thing deserves its bad name.

Common Mistakes

He is infamous because he is a great scientist.
He is famous because he is a great scientist.
'infamous' means famous for something BAD, not just well-known.
That restaurant is infamous for its excellent noodles.
That restaurant is famous for its excellent noodles.
use 'famous' for good reasons; 'infamous' is only for bad ones.

Word family

  • infamy
    nounC1
  • infamously
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe something or someone with a bad name, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Notorious' is the closest synonym to 'infamous' — both imply wide public knowledge — but 'notorious' can be used in milder or even playful contexts (e.g. 'a notorious coffee drinker'), whereas 'infamous' is reserved for genuinely bad or evil things. 'Disreputable' focuses on having a bad character or appearance (a disreputable old hotel) without necessarily being famous — so 'disreputable' describes quality, while 'infamous' describes reputation. 'Scandalous' points to the shocking, morally offensive nature of an event or revelation (scandalous allegations), rather than the lasting fame of a person or place. In short: an infamous person is widely known as bad; a disreputable person is bad but may not be widely known; a scandalous act is shocking enough to cause public outrage.

notorious ↗disreputablescandalous

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • infamous for
  • infamous among
  • infamous in history

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From Latin 'infāmis' meaning 'of ill repute,' built from 'in-' (not, opposite of) and 'fāma' (fame, reputation). The word entered English through Old French 'infame' in the 14th century. Originally it referred to someone stripped of legal rights due to bad character, but over time it broadened to describe any person, place, or thing widely known for shameful or evil reasons.