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

In 1997, nothing was known about Puffy’s now infamous private behavior. —Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025

On Saturday evening, Chanel once again co-hosted a glamorous evening with Charles Finch at the infamous and lavish Mayfair club 5 Hertford Street. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2025

The water on one side of the beach and the Pacific Coast Highway on the other help impede fire spread, but strong gusts—like last month’s infamous Santa Ana winds—can still toss embers and flaming debris across the highway. —Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2025

Later, at the end of the first episode, Coach Scott (Steven Krueger) discovers Mari, who stormed out of the village following a heated exchange with Shauna, trapped in the infamous pit. —Michaela Zee, Variety, 15 Feb. 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