fame

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: public estimation : reputation
b
: popular acclaim : renown
2
archaic : rumor

fame

2 of 2

verb

famed; faming

transitive verb

1
archaic : report, repute
2
: to make famous

Examples of fame in a Sentence

Noun He died at the height of his fame. The book tells the story of her sudden rise to fame. He gained fame as an actor. She went to Hollywood seeking fame and fortune.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The couple have worked together for years, with Lea choreographing and dancing for 98 Degrees during the height of the boy band's fame. Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025 Even Lucy Liu — yes, of Charlie’s Angels and Kill Bill fame — has explored erotic art, producing a series of sensual paintings from 2006 to 2008 in homage to Shunga, a form of Japanese erotic art practiced from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Chris Erik Thomas, Them, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
The Chicago philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, famed for his generous aid to Blacks, limited his contribution to $100 annually. Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 The coast of Alabama Mobile, Alabama, is a historic, coastal city on scenic Mobile Bay, famed for fresh oysters and antebellum architecture. Jenny Adams, AFAR Media, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for fame 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin fama report, fame; akin to Latin fari to speak — more at ban entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fame was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near fame

Cite this Entry

“Fame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fame. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

fame

noun
ˈfām
: the fact or condition of being known to the public : renown
famed
ˈfāmd
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on fame

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