notorious
adjective
Lewis MumfordPliotron 
Did you know?
For those who don’t give a hang about a bad reputation, being notorious for unpopular behavior is no biggie. (Being notorious for topping the Billboard charts? Now that's a Biggie.) Although notorious (which comes from Latin noscere, "to come to know") can be a synonym of famous, it's more often a synonym of infamous, having long ago developed the additional implication of someone or something disreputable. The Book of Common Prayer of 1549 includes one of the first known uses of the unfavorable meaning in print, referring to "notorious synners." You know what they say: more notorious synners, more problems.
Synonyms
Examples of notorious in a Sentence
Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024
Ohio’s governor and officials condemn it Some marchers carried black flags emblazoned with red swastikas, a notorious symbol of hate, antisemitism and White supremacy tracing to the murderous legacy of Germany’s Nazi Party and the Holocaust.
—Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Parole in South Carolina is granted only about 8% of the time and is less likely with an inmate's first appearance before the board, in notorious cases, or when prosecutors and the families of victims are opposed.
—CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
The notorious British intelligence officer became the most successful double agent for the Soviet Union during the Cold War period.
—Irenie Forshaw, The Week Uk, theweek, 20 Nov. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near notorious
Cite this Entry
“Notorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notorious. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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notorious
adjective
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notorious
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