famous

adjective

fa·​mous ˈfā-məs 

1

a

: widely known

a restaurant famous for its French cuisine

b

: honored for achievement

a famous explorer

2

: excellent, first-rate

famous weather for a walk

famousness noun

Synonyms

• big-name
• celebrated
• famed
• noted
• notorious
• prominent
• renowned
• star
• visible
• well-known

Choose the Right Synonym for famous

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of famous in a Sentence

a book about some of the most famous people of the last century

the review gushed that the restaurant offered some truly famous Southern-style cooking

Recent Examples on the Web

That same soil is what lends poblano chiles—traditionally from Puebla—the peppery flavor that characterizes the most famous local dish, chiles en nogada, says Zach Rabinor, founder of the luxury travel outfit Journey Mexico. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024

Rocio Fabbro takes a look at what the world’s most famous investor might do with all that cash. —Peter Green, Quartz, 10 Nov. 2024

They’re led by the most famous coach in Colorado high school football history, Dave Logan, who owns a record 12 state titles. —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024

One of his most famous films, Aita, was released in 2023 and quickly became the highest-grossing film in Yakutia before being banned by Russian authorities for allegedly promoting nationalism, sparking widespread debate and controversy. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin famosus, from fama fame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing famous

• world-famous

Kids Definition

famous

adjective

fa·​mous ˈfā-məs 

1

: much talked about : very well-known

famous explorer

2

: excellent

famous weather for a picnic