infamous

adjective

ˈin-fə-məs How to pronounce infamous (audio)
Definition of infamousnext
as in notorious
not respectable the infamous criminal who remains known only by the moniker of "Jack the Ripper"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of infamous Hiller’s character Dale is also the purveyor of the show’s most infamous scream. — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 And then the memories came flooding back for both of us — me, a college football junkie, and him, having lived a pretty infamous couple hours. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026 Elizabeth’s big scene occurs just after Biggs’ infamous encounter with an apple pie that lends the film its title. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026 Kelly popped up numerous times during the early days of the Bravo series, re-emerging during its now infamous 10th season in support of Katie Maloney. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infamous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infamous
notorious
Adjective
  • While renowned for its red brick buildings and lush green lawns, UCLA’s campus is also notorious for its steep hills.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In the now-notorious moment, Rock, 61, made a joke directed at Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s buzzed haircut.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of notorious

Browse Nearby Words

infamies
infamous
infamy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infamous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infamous. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on infamous

Nglish: Translation of infamous for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All