infamous

adjective

in·​fa·​mous ˈin-fə-məs 

1

: having a reputation of the worst kind : notoriously evil

an infamous traitor

2

: causing or bringing infamy : disgraceful

an infamous crime

3

: convicted of an offense bringing infamy

infamously adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is being infamous always a bad thing?

Infamous has a small range of meanings, and none of them are ones that most people would care to be described with. It may mean "notoriously evil," "disgraceful," or "convicted of an offense bringing infamy" (infamy is "evil reputation brought about by something grossly criminal, shocking, or brutal").

Is infamous the opposite of famous?

Infamous is not the opposite of famous. It does not mean "not famous" or "exceptionally famous." It means "having a reputation of the worst kind." Although the in- prefix often indicates negation or gives a meaning opposite to the word it is attached to, it occasionally will have other meanings, such as "inward" and "thoroughly."

What is the difference between unfamous and infamous?

Although it would appear that both of these words are created by adding a similar prefix to the word famous, they actually have quite different meanings. Infamous means "notoriously evil," whereas unfamous simply means "not famous." Infamous is by far the more commonly-used of the two.

Synonyms

• discreditable
• disgraceful
• dishonorable
• disreputable
• ignominious
• louche
• notorious
• opprobrious
• shady
• shameful
• shoddy
• shy
• unrespectable

Examples of infamous in a Sentence

The most infamous of South America's poisonous snakes are the ringed coral snake and the pit viper. —Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005

Clemens is famous, or maybe infamous, for his brushback pitches and in particular for his penchant for "doubling up," throwing two brushbacks in a row. —Pat Jordan, New York Times Magazine, 4 Mar. 2001

Instead we invoke the infamous dark matter, also known to make up most of the mass of other galaxies (both spiral and elliptical), clusters of galaxies, and the universe. What is it? Your guess may not be quite as good as mine, but almost. —Virginia Trimble et al., Sky & Telescope, January 1995

a city infamous for poverty and crime

He committed an infamous crime.

Recent Examples on the Web

Classic Farmhouse, East Hampton This house has quite the storied history: its former owners were the Washington Post’s Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn (who later went on to buy perhaps the most infamous house in the Hamptons: Grey Gardens). —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2025

The pair arrived at the International Space Station on June 5 aboard the infamous Boeing Starliner but could not return due to discovered technical issues with the spacecraft. —Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025

On his Kliq This podcast, Nash discussed Cena's heel turn and addressed comparisons to Hulk Hogan's infamous heel turn while also sharing his views on who should be the third man. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025

This case also draws parallels to other lawsuits involving fast-food chains, including the infamous 1990s McDonald’s case, in which a woman was awarded less than $600,000 in damages after suffering burns from hot coffee. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin infamis, from in- + fama fame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

infamous

adjective

in·​fa·​mous ˈin-fə-məs 

1

: having an evil reputation

an infamous traitor

2

: causing or bringing an evil reputation : detestable

an infamous crime

infamously adverb

Legal Definition

infamous

adjective

in·​fa·​mous ˈin-fə-məs 

: of, relating to, or being a crime punishable by imprisonment (as a year or more in a penitentiary) that can lead to loss of rights and privileges upon conviction

also : convicted of such a crime