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

That infamous 1911 disaster in Greenwich Village took the lives of 146 garment workers—123 of them women, and many, adolescents, some as young as 14. —Fiona Alison Duncan, ARTnews.com, 30 Dec. 2024

Every Newcastle fan of a certain generation remembers Ruud Gullit’s infamous spell as manager and the mutiny that was caused by him dropping Alan Shearer, the local hero, for a derby defeat against Sunderland, early in the 1999-2000 season. —Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024

His lieutenant governor, the infamous Lester Maddox, was hardly alone in his opposition to Carter hanging a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. in the State Capitol. —Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024

The frontier regiment was known for its infamous defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn under George Custer 14 years prior. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Dec. 2024

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