notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē 

plural notorieties

1

: the quality or state of being notorious

the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent government

—R. E. Merriam

2

: a notorious person

love to have notabilities and notorieties under one roof

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Synonyms

• cause célèbre
• cause celebre
• celeb
• celebrity
• figure
• icon
• ikon
• light
• luminary
• megastar
• name
• notability
• notable
• personage
• personality
• somebody
• standout
• star
• superstar
• VIP

Examples of notoriety in a Sentence

He achieved instant fame and notoriety with the release of his film.

She gained notoriety when nude photographs of her appeared in a magazine.

His comment about the President has given him a notoriety that he enjoys very much.

Recent Examples on the Web

For similar charms with less notoriety, try Puebla. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024

They can be placed on cards at different points in the show to add some notoriety. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

And thus, the number of targets for today’s graffiti artists continues to grow even as their motivation stays the same: notoriety. —Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

Of course, the band's immense success came with a level of fame and notoriety that surprised the band members themselves. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French notorieté, from Medieval Latin notorietat-, notorietas, from notorius

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​ety

ˌnōt-ə-ˈrī-ət-ē

plural notorieties

: the quality or state of being notorious