notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent governmentR. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
love to have notabilities and notorieties under one roofThe Times Literary Supplement (London)

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
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.
Brothers Oren and Tal Alexander gained notoriety in New York's luxury real estate market through their company, Alexander Group, and have been under federal investigation alongside Oren's twin, Alon, since late 2024. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 11 May 2025 The stakes are somehow ridiculously low—the winner essentially just receives bragging rights, along with a comically ugly metal bust of Davies’s head—and incredibly high, for comedians looking to boost their notoriety. David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025 The 1962 escape that defined the prison’s notoriety Alcatraz saw 14 separate escape attempts involving 36 men over its 29 years as a federal prison. Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 5 May 2025 The perpetrators planned to gain notoriety on social networks through the bombing, authorities said. Doha Madani, NBC news, 4 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for notoriety

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of notoriety was circa 1650

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Notoriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notoriety. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

notoriety

noun
no·​to·​ri·​ety
ˌnōt-ə-ˈrī-ət-ē
plural notorieties
: the quality or state of being notorious

More from Merriam-Webster on notoriety

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