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

Synonyms of notoriety

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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.
Steinem, who died at age 92, became a symbol of the second-wave of feminism through activism work after initially gaining notoriety as a journalist in the 1960s. — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 The fact that Jerri and her brother have the same name will write plenty of jokes itself, but with Chad gaining notoriety and having yet another person on his case, Jerri is sure to bring some drama and pressure his way. — Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 Maybe the success of Crocs and the prestige and notoriety and especially the crazy money had something to do with my nearly destroying myself. — George Boedecker Jr, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 The defense maintained that those accounts were exaggerated or fabricated for money and notoriety, pointing to the absence of physical evidence independently placing Davis in the Cadillac that night. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 Sep. 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

Rhymes for notoriety

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Browse Nearby Words

Notorhynchus
notoriety
notorious
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Cite this Entry

“Notoriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notoriety. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

notoriety

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