fame

1 of 2

noun

ˈfām How to pronounce fame (audio)
Synonyms of fame
1
a
: public estimation : reputation
b
: popular acclaim : renown
2
archaic : rumor

fame

2 of 2

verb

famed; faming

transitive verb

1
archaic : report, repute
2
: to make famous

Synonyms of fame

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Noun

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Examples of fame in a Sentence

Noun He died at the height of his fame. The book tells the story of her sudden rise to fame. He gained fame as an actor. She went to Hollywood seeking fame and fortune.
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.
Noun
Amazon Prime’s newest faces—Sterling Point’s Ella Rubin and Belmont Cameli of Off Campus fame—caught up near the front bar, where the former was ordering a margarita. — Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2026 Payne, who rose to fame alongside Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik in One Direction, died in October 2024 at age 31. — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
What Celtic did not want was for Inter, a team famed for its catenaccio defence, to score early. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 The governor’s mansion, Plantation House, was built in 1791 by the East India Company, and is famed today as the home of Jonathan, a tortoise from the Seychelles who is now aged about 194 and thought to be the oldest creature on Earth. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fame

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin fama report, fame; akin to Latin fari to speak — more at ban entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fame was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing fame

Rhymes for fame

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Browse Nearby Words

famatinite
fame
famed
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Cite this Entry

“Fame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fame. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fame

noun
ˈfām
: the fact or condition of being known to the public : renown
famed
ˈfāmd
adjective
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