Definition of INFAMOUS (original) (raw)
1
: having a reputation of the worst kind : notoriously evil
3
: convicted of an offense bringing infamy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is being infamous always a bad thing?
Infamous has a small range of meanings, and none of them are ones that most people would care to be described with. It may mean "notoriously evil," "disgraceful," or "convicted of an offense bringing infamy" (infamy is "evil reputation brought about by something grossly criminal, shocking, or brutal").
Is infamous the opposite of famous?
Infamous is not the opposite of famous. It does not mean "not famous" or "exceptionally famous." It means "having a reputation of the worst kind." Although the _in_- prefix often indicates negation or gives a meaning opposite to the word it is attached to, it occasionally will have other meanings, such as "inward" and "thoroughly."
What is the difference between unfamous and infamous?
Although it would appear that both of these words are created by adding a similar prefix to the word famous, they actually have quite different meanings. Infamous means "notoriously evil," whereas unfamous simply means "not famous." Infamous is by far the more commonly-used of the two.
Synonyms
Examples of infamous in a Sentence
The most infamous of South America's poisonous snakes are the ringed coral snake and the pit viper. —
Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005 Clemens is famous, or maybe infamous, for his brushback pitches and in particular for his penchant for "doubling up," throwing two brushbacks in a row. —Pat Jordan, New York Times Magazine, 4 Mar. 2001 Instead we invoke the infamous dark matter, also known to make up most of the mass of other galaxies (both spiral and elliptical), clusters of galaxies, and the universe. What is it? Your guess may not be quite as good as mine, but almost. —Virginia Trimble et al., Sky & Telescope, January 1995
a city infamous for poverty and crime He committed an infamous crime.
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.
This has the potential to be one of the most infamous trades in the history of any sport. —Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2025 That’s what happened in Vermont, after an infamous Vermont Supreme Court decision in 1978. —Betsy Z. Russell, Idaho Statesman, 3 Feb. 2025 The most famous and infamous of those chums was John H. Eaton. —Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2025 Due to the tonal shift of this year’s gala, the red carpet arrivals were scrapped, and the soirée, which is infamous for running past midnight, concluded at 11:30 p.m. —Paul Chi, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for infamous 
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin infamis, from in- + fama fame
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of infamous was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near infamous
Cite this Entry
“Infamous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infamous. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 7 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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