notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
Synonyms of notoriety
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
… the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent government.R. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
… the errors of notorieties and crowned heads …James Joyce

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.
Many assumed that the assailant was after money, given Savannah’s notoriety. Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 28 May 2026 Garros' dazzling performances in air shows and races earned him awards and notoriety. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 26 May 2026 His notoriety led him to capture the most famous faces in entertainment, politics, society and culture, from James Baldwin and Allen Ginsberg to Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin to the Reagans and Warhol’s Factory. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 Alibert gained notoriety for her affair with the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor, in 1917 while he was stationed in Paris, and then for shooting dead her wealthy Egyptian aristocrat husband Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey in The Savoy Hotel in London in 1923. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 May 2026 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 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

notoriety

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

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