notoriety

noun

no·​to·​ri·​e·​ty ˌnō-tə-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce notoriety (audio)
plural notorieties
1
: the quality or state of being notorious
the city's notoriety for corrupt and incompetent governmentR. E. Merriam
2
: a notorious person
love to have notabilities and notorieties under one roofThe Times Literary Supplement (London)

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.
The 16-year veteran began his career with some promise in Philadelphia, a market that has been starved for an everyday goaltender since the days of Ron Hextall, as well as with a bit of notoriety thanks to a viral call from TSN’s SportsCentre anchor Jay Onrait yelling Bobrovsky’s name. Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025 The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour plays on Utah’s ski notoriety by guiding riders on an epic one-day traverse of the Wasatch Mountains, stopping at six of Utah's most legendary resorts. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025 Years before gaining notoriety as a movie star through his role in one of the most successful film franchises in history, Ludacris was simply another artist on the grind trying to figure it out. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 22 Oct. 2025 In performances at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City, the musical follows killers Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two murderesses who use their criminal notoriety to find fame in the Vaudeville circuit. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Notoriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notoriety. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

notoriety

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

More from Merriam-Webster on notoriety

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