notorious

notorious — adjective

1. widely known in a negative way because of a bad quality, unpleasant behaviour, o

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

widely known in a negative way because of a bad quality, unpleasant behaviour, or involvement in something harmful

Example

The prison housed some of the country's most notorious gang leaders.

attributive use: notorious + noun for describing a person or group

Anna's old apartment building was notorious for having no heating in winter.

pattern: be + notorious + for + gerund

Common collocations
  • notorious criminal
  • notorious gang
  • notorious case
  • notorious incident
  • notorious offender
  • notorious for corruption
  • notorious for violence
  • notorious for delays
Synonyms
  • infamous

    stronger than 'notorious'; suggests moral disgrace or evil rather than simply a bad reputation

  • ill-famed

    more formal and less common alternative; identical in meaning to 'notorious'

  • scandalous

    focuses on the shocking or disgraceful nature of the reason for being known

Antonyms
  • reputable

    describes someone or something with a good reputation, the opposite of having a bad one

  • esteemed

    highly regarded and respected, the positive counterpart to 'notorious'

Grammar Patterns

notorious + noun

be + notorious + for + noun/gerund

become + notorious + after + event

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'for + noun or gerund' to specify the reason for the bad reputation. Unlike 'famous', which can be neutral or positive, 'notorious' always carries a negative judgment about the person, place, or thing described.

Common Mistakes

The chef is notorious for her amazing desserts.
The chef is famous for her amazing desserts.
'notorious' should only be used for negative qualities, not positive ones.
He became notorious after winning the gold medal.
He became famous after winning the gold medal.
use 'famous' for achievements and awards; reserve 'notorious' for bad reputations.

Word family

  • notoriety
    nounC1
  • notoriously
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe being widely known, but they differ sharply in judgment. 'Famous' is the most general — it simply means known to many people, whether the reason is good, bad, or neutral. 'Renowned' is positive, carrying a sense of great respect and acclaim in a particular field. 'Celebrated' is similar to 'renowned' but emphasises public attention and praise in the media or among critics. 'Notorious' is the negative counterpart of 'famous' — it always implies the person or thing is known for something bad. 'Infamous' goes further than 'notorious', suggesting moral disgrace or evil. For example, a musician might be famous for hit songs, renowned for technical skill, and celebrated by critics — but notorious for bad behaviour on tour. If that behaviour involved a serious crime, the musician would become infamous.

famous ↗renowned ↗notorious ↗infamous ↗celebrated ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • notorious criminal
  • notorious case
  • notorious gang
  • notorious incident
  • notorious offender
  • notorious reputation

Adverbs

  • notoriously
  • especially notorious
  • particularly notorious
  • most notorious

Phrases

  • become notorious
  • be notorious for
  • gain a notorious reputation

Prepositions

  • notorious for
  • notorious as
  • notorious among
  • notorious in

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'notorious' comes from the Medieval Latin 'notorius', meaning 'well-known'. It traces back further to the Late Latin noun 'notorium' (information, indictment) and ultimately to the Latin verb 'noscere' (to come to know, to recognise) — the same root that gave English the word 'know'. When 'notorious' first entered English around 1534, it simply meant 'widely known' and could be used positively or neutrally. Over the centuries, its meaning narrowed to focus on negative fame, so that today it almost always describes someone or something known for a bad reason.